In our view, Manchester City anchor Rodri should at least be on the podium to win the Ballon d’Or.
Of course, the likes of Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi are favourites to win the award and rightfully so.
However, to expect Rodri to finish just below the pair in the Ballon d’Or rankings should be unanimously considered justified, on the back of the incredible season that he has had for club and country.
Why Rodri should be in Ballon d’Or contention at least
While even the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne have had periods where they have perhaps not been at their devastating best, the £62.8 million (The Independent) was virtually flawless throughout the previous campaign.
In fact, a strong case can be made that in terms of consistency, the 26-year-old perhaps stands out at City more than any other player over the last two seasons.
The impact Rodri has in terms of dictating the tempo of games, reading the game to a level where he does not have to cover every blade of grass and bursting with the ball are not particularly Ballon d’Or-friendly traits.
However, a glimpse at the Sky Blues last season is enough to emphasise that he is the most irreplaceable player in their squad.
While his compatriots in Casemiro, Thomas Partey and Aurelien Tchouameni may have all of the tools that the Spaniard possesses, their execution is not on the same planet as him.
The fact that Sergio Busquets handpicked Rodri as his ideal successor at Barcelona is a reflection of why we are addressing a Ballon d’Or-worthy defensive midfielder.
Branded as a ‘master of his craft’ by GOAL, the former Atletico Madrid lynchpin’s habit of coming up clutch is also worth taking into consideration in this conversation.
Not only has Rodri ran proceedings against the very best but to add to that, his habit of coming up clutch has shone once again, as proven by his stunning strikes against the likes of Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.
Or be it the ex-Villareal midfielder’s decisive penalty in the shootout for Spain against Croatia in the Nations League final, where he was named as the Player of the Tournament.
Capping off the season with a goal that not just Manchester City the Champions League trophy they have always dreamt of for years on end but also a treble, Rodri has the performances, the consistency and the individual moments to at least be standing on the Ballon d’Or podium.
Any of the other potential third place candidates, be it Kevin De Bruyne, Vinicius Jr. or Kylian Mbappe have had stretches where they have been miles off the best versions of themselves.
As for Rodri, he may have been the safest guarantee of a masterclass from any player in world football last season.
