Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer both agree on who they think should win this year’s Ballon d’Or trophy – and their chosen man is a Premier League star.
The nominations for the prestigious award, given to the world’s best footballer, are set to be announced on Wednesday evening with the winner to be crowned in Paris on October 28.
Last year Lionel Messi clinched a record eighth trophy after taking Argentina to an unlikely World Cup win in Qatar, with Erling Haaland in second for his glut of goals for Manchester City, and Kylian Mbappe coming third thanks to a World Cup final hat-trick.
Premier League winners have been few and far between in recent years, with the last man from the English leagues to win the Ballon d’Or being Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 when he was at Man United.
But pundits Lineker and Shearer, speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, are backing City’s Rodri to buck the trend this time around and be recognised for success both domestically and on the international stage.
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer both agree Rodri should win this year’s Ballon d’Or
The Match of the Day host said: ‘I think Rodri deserves it. They did not win the Champions League at City, but they did win the league and then the Euros with Spain’
Lineker added that Rodri’s compatriot Lamine Yamal could be in line for a trophy of his own at October’s ceremony
The Match of the Day host said: ‘I think Rodri deserves it. They did not win the Champions League at City, but they did win the league and then the Euros with Spain, when he was very much their leader.’
Shearer agreed and added, ‘It can only be him,’ with co-presenter Micah Richards also selecting Rodri as his Ballon d’Or tip.
The trio of former footballers are not the only ones backing the Spain midfielder to scoop up the trophy with his club manager Pep Guardiola also suggesting he would be a worthy winner.
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‘We would be delighted – he deserves it,’ he said.
‘But maybe another one deserves it too. The people will vote. Rodri has done not just one season, many seasons really good and the previous season was really good with the Premier League and the Euros winning with Spain.
‘But there are other players who had a good season. I would love one [City] player to win it because for players it means a lot. I would love it.’
Lineker added that Rodri’s compatriot Lamine Yamal could be in line for a trophy of his own at October’s ceremony.
He said: ‘I think young player of the year, I have a feeling, will be Lamine Yamal. He could win that for the next five years.’
As well as lifting the Euros with his national team, the Spaniard sealed a fourth Premier League title and, incredibly, is unbeaten over 90 minutes of football for 18 months.
Last year Lionel Messi clinched a record eighth trophy after taking Argentina to an unlikely World Cup win in Qatar
The last man from the English leagues to win the Ballon d’Or was Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008
Rodri’s club manager Pep Guardiola has also suggested he would be a worthy winner
Other contenders include Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham after the side won the Champions League
Last month, Rodri was nominated for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, losing out to teammate Phil Foden
Other contenders include Real Madrid trio Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, the latter being at Paris Saint-Germain last year, as well as Lionel Messi who will be in the hunt for a record-extending ninth Ballon d’Or after taking Argentina to Copa America glory over the summer.
Last month, Rodri was nominated for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, losing out to teammate Phil Foden, but made it into the Team of the Year at the same event.
Rodri has yet to play a minute for City so far this campaign as he continues to recover from the knock which forced him to come off at half-time in the 2-1 victory in the Euro 2024 final against England.
