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Messi Not Among Top Contenders for Ballon d’Or, Rodri Leads Rankings

Andrew
By Andrew
August 4, 2026 1 Min Read
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The Independent has released its ranking of the frontrunners in the race for the Ballon d’Or. Leading the list is midfielder Rodri, currently with Manchester City, who was also named the best player of the World Cup.

“You might not like it, but the significance of the World Cup for the Ballon d’Or jury is undeniable. Just ask Luka Modrić. Rodri delivered an outstanding performance at the tournament, anchoring Spain’s midfield, shielding their impenetrable defense, and acting as the metronome directing the team’s play,” the article states.

In second place is Harry Kane, while the top three is completed by Lamine Yamal. The rest of the top 10 includes Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Michael Olise, and Vinícius Júnior.

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Andrew

Andrew is the founder and editor of SportBursts. He launched SportBursts in 2026 to build an independent sports news website focused on fast, accurate, and accessible coverage of football and international sporting events. His responsibilities include: researching sports news; reviewing published content; editing articles before publication; verifying factual information using publicly available sources; maintaining editorial standards across the website. SportBursts does not claim exclusive access to teams, leagues, or sporting organizations. The website reports on publicly available information and aims to present it clearly, accurately, and responsibly. Outside of SportBursts, Andrew has experience in web publishing, website management, and digital content production.

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