He's Messi of Spain — LALIGA president disagrees with Mourinho, backs Barcelona star for Ballon d'Or

LALIGA president Javier Tebas has publicly endorsed Barcelona midfielder Rodri to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or ahead of other competitors.

The executive backed the 30-year-old following his central role in guiding Spain to the 2026 FIFA World Cup title, where he was also awarded the tournament's Golden Ball.

Rodri recently transferred to the Spanish top flight, making his latest league appearance during Barcelona's 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano on August 31.

Despite the midfielder suffering extended injury layoffs prior to the summer tournament, Tebas insisted his international output remains unmatched.

“Even though he was out for long periods due to injury, the World Cup he played in, he performed at an incredibly high level, incredibly high,” Tebas stated.

The La Liga president further elevated the midfielder's status by declaring that he has proven himself as the "Messi of Spanish football."

Tebas’ endorsement directly contradicts the ongoing campaign by Real Madrid manager José Mourinho in favour of Kylian Mbappé.

Mourinho recently argued that the award should recognise sustained individual brilliance rather than automatically rewarding players who lift the World Cup or UEFA Champions League.

The Portuguese tactician believes Mbappé possesses the strongest individual claim after scoring 43 goals in 47 appearances for Real Madrid across all competitions during the 2025/26 campaign.

The French forward finished last season as the top scorer in both LALIGA and the Champions League before registering a tournament-leading 10 goals in eight appearances at the 2026 World Cup.

Other notable contenders in the undecided race include Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, alongside Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.