La Liga • 8 min read • Verified Editorial

Ballon d'Or 2026 Final Countdown: Vinícius Jr & Rodri Lead Polling as Global Stars Assemble for October International Window

The race for the 2024/2026 Golden Ball reaches its climax as international journalists finalize voting between Vinícius Júnior and Rodri.

By Julian Alvarez-Cole (Chief European Football Analyst) • Published: 2026-10-05 • Updated: 2026-10-11
Vinícius Júnior arrives at the Brazil national team camp as odds-on favorite for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award in Paris.
Vinícius Júnior arrives at the Brazil national team camp as odds-on favorite for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award in Paris. (CBF Media / GoalRush360 International)

<h3>Ballon d'Or Voting Closes</h3>

International football journalists and national team captains have submitted their final ballots for the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, with Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior and Manchester City's Rodri leading all projections.

<h3>Vinícius vs Rodri Case Analysis</h3>

Vinícius scored crucial goals in La Liga and Champions League finals for Real Madrid, while Rodri anchored Manchester City's Premier League victory and won Euro 2024 Player of the Tournament with Spain.