Ballon d’Or website names Rodri among Barcelona greats as transfer speculation grows

The Ballon d’Or’s official website and social media accounts have listed Manchester City midfielder Rodri alongside Barcelona’s former winners, despite negotiations over a potential move between the two clubs still being at an early stage.

The unexpected inclusion has raised questions over whether the reference was an embarrassing administrative mistake or an intentional leak by the organisers of football’s most prestigious individual award.

Rodri, one of the leading candidates for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, was mentioned in an article reviewing the history of Barcelona players who have won the prize. The article did not simply list previous winners, however, and described the Spain international as “a potential candidate to join this prestigious list”.

That wording appeared to suggest that Rodri’s move to Barcelona was viewed by the award’s organisers as close to completion, although neither club has confirmed that an agreement has been reached.

Rodri included in list of Barcelona winners

The article focused on the celebrated players who have represented Barcelona and gone on to win the Ballon d’Or.

Those named were Spain’s Luis Suarez Miramontes, Netherlands great Johan Cruyff, Denmark international Allan Simonsen, Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov, Brazil’s Rivaldo, Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho, Portugal’s Luis Figo, Argentina captain Lionel Messi and France forward Ousmane Dembele.

Rodri’s inclusion alongside that group was particularly notable because the article was presented as a historical account of Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or winners, rather than a general list of players linked with the club.

The midfielder has been one of the most influential players in Manchester City’s recent success and is regarded as one of the strongest contenders for the 2026 award. His possible transfer to Barcelona has not yet been finalised, with discussions between the clubs reportedly still in the preliminary stages.

Potential impact on Barcelona and Real Madrid record

A Rodri victory in the Ballon d’Or while playing for Barcelona would have an additional historical significance.

It would allow Barcelona to draw level with their traditional rivals Real Madrid for the number of Ballon d’Or awards won by their players throughout history. The reference to that possibility added to the significance of Rodri’s appearance in the article and fuelled suggestions that he could soon become part of the Catalan club’s long list of award-winning stars.

However, there has been no official explanation for the reference. The Ballon d’Or authorities have not commented on the publication, while Barcelona and Manchester City have also made no statement about the apparent leak.

As things stand, Rodri remains a Manchester City player and the proposed transfer has not been completed. The inclusion on the Ballon d’Or platforms therefore remains unexplained, leaving open the possibility that it was either a serious editorial error or an indication of information not yet made public.