3 Barcelona Ballon d'Or nominations ranked in the current power rankings
Barcelona signed a Ballon d'Or winner in Rodri this summer. However, the last Barcelona player to win the award while he was still at the club was Lionel Messi back in 2019.
It was surprising to see Raphinha and Pedri not included in the shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or. Raphinha finished fifth at the awards last year; Pedri has been excellent for Barça and Spain. However, Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Pau Cubarsi have all been nominated.
An honourable mention must also go to Ferran Torres, who has been nominated but has now transferred from Barca to Paris Saint-Germain. Torres scored the winning goal for Spain against Argentina in the World Cup final.
Barcelona Ballon d'Or nominees power ranksings
1. Lamine Yamal
Yamal had an excellent campaign for Barcelona as they won La Liga. He was the division's player of the season and scored 24 goals with 18 assists in 45 games in all competitions. This is remarkable, given that he is just 19 years old.
The winger was then instrumental as Spain went on to claim World Cup glory. However, he did get just one goal and one assist overall in the tournament. Alongside Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, Yamal has a great chance to win the Ballon d'Or this year.
2. Rodri
Rodri made history as he won the Ballon d'Or in 2024. A non-attacking player rarely wins the award. Fabio Cannavaro, back in 2006, was the last defender to claim the Ballon d'Or. Rodri is a defensive midfielder, and his winning the award shows how important the position has become.
The player captained Spain to World Cup glory before making his transfer to Barcelona. He had been with Manchester City, and last season he won the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. The domestic cup double may not be enough to win the Ballon d'Or, but Rodri is still a strong candidate.
3. Pau Cubarsi
Cubarsi played every minute as Spain won the World Cup. However, he is a centre-back, and we have already mentioned that it has been 20 years since the last defender lifted the Ballon d'Or.
Cubarsi was also excellent for Barca, as they won La Liga and the Supercopa de España last season. He is also just 19, which is a credit to the club's La Masia academy. The future looks bright for Barcelona and Spain. Perhaps we are in for an era of dominance that Barca and the Spanish national team had in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
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