Giving Rodri the World Cup Golden Ball over Messi wasn’t deserved—not even by 10%.
Rodri is the heartbeat of Spain’s system, no doubt about it. But you can’t hand him the tournament’s best player award based mainly on his performances in the semifinal and final.
Meanwhile, another player performed at an extraordinary level from the opening game all the way to the semifinal, often carrying his team almost single-handedly (with the exception of the semifinal, when his teammates stepped up as well).
There’s also a huge difference in the strength of the two national teams, yet that wasn’t properly taken into account. Neither was individual performance.
This isn’t about statistics alone.
Rodri is incredibly important and influential to his team. Messi is just as essential—arguably even more so. Not simply because of goals or assists, but because of everything he means to his team. Both are the heart of their sides, but Messi had the added edge of consistently deciding games.
Since the award ultimately went to a player from the finalists, the comparison is straightforward.
I honestly don’t know what they were thinking by giving it to Rodri.
For me, Lionel Messi deserved the World Cup Golden Ball without a second thought.
🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗪: THIS IS WHY LEO MESSI DESERVES TO WIN THE 2026 BALLON D’OR:
• 12 goal contributions at the World Cup; eight goals and four assists.
• Finished as the 2nd-highest goalscorer and among the tournament’s top assist providers.
• Completed more successful dribbles than any other player at the World Cup, and led on many stats.
• Led Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final as their captain and most influential player.
• Delivered in the knockout stages, producing decisive goals and assists throughout Argentina’s run.
• Registered an astonishing 75 goal contributions for club and country since July 2025.
• Led Inter Miami to their first-ever MLS Cup title, delivering two assists in the final.
• Won the 2025 Eastern Conference title with Inter Miami.
• Named MLS Cup MVP after inspiring Miami to the championship.
• Won the 2025 MLS MVP award after recording 29 goals and 19 assists during the regular season.
• Won the 2025 MLS Golden Boot as the league’s top scorer with 29 goals.
• Achieved all of this at 38 and 39 years old, competing at the highest level while remaining one of football’s most productive players.
No player has combined individual brilliance, trophies, consistency and World Cup impact like Lionel Messi. ✨🇦🇷