Rodri has officially become the 11th player to complete the prestigious treble of winning the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon d’Or. The Manchester City midfielder secured this rare set following Spain’s World Cup triumph, having already claimed the Champions League in 2023 and the Ballon d’Or in 2024. He joins an elite list of 10 previous winners: Sir Bobby Charlton, Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer, Paolo Rossi, Zinedine Zidane, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Lionel Messi, and Ousmane Dembele. The question now remains: who will be the 12th player to achieve this feat?
Lamine Yamal is a top contender, having won the World Cup as a teenager. He is currently second among the favorites for the Ballon d’Or, and it would be a surprise if he does not secure the award before his 20s. If he misses out in 2026, it is surely only a matter of time. Furthermore, Barcelona is aiming for Champions League success under Hansi Flick, which would be their first title since 2015, and Yamal would be a major factor in that pursuit.
Kylian Mbappe is one-third of the way there, having won the World Cup at 19. While it seemed unfathomable in 2018 that he would go eight years without a Ballon d’Or or Champions League medal, he remains at the tournament's most storied club. He still has time to claim the individual prize in the post-Messi and Ronaldo era.
Jude Bellingham already possesses a Champions League winner’s medal and has plenty of time to pursue the Ballon d’Or, having already finished third in the voting. The primary question for the Real Madrid star is the World Cup; if England ends their 64-year wait in 2030, when Bellingham will be turning 27, he is expected to be a primary factor. Hopefully, England and Thomas Tuchel have not already missed his best opportunity.
Michael Olise currently holds as many of these necessary honors as Tony Hibbert, but that is expected to change within four years. The Bayern Munich star will likely be in Ballon d’Or conversations, especially if he secures a move to Real Madrid. Regardless of his club, his Champions League prospects remain strong at Bayern, and he will be a key figure for France in the 2030 World Cup.
Vitinha, the PSG midfielder, has already won two Champions League titles and was a potential Ballon d’Or winner after finishing third in 2025. The 26-year-old now needs a World Cup, and Portugal may be better positioned in 2030 without the burden of Cristiano Ronaldo. Julian Alvarez, who won the World Cup in 2022 and the Champions League in 2023, is also in the mix. A battle is currently raging for his signature, with Barcelona and Arsenal jostling for the 26-year-old; a move to Barcelona would provide a better platform for a Ballon d’Or push.
Finally, Vinicius Junior has won the Champions League twice, including in 2024 when Real Madrid expressed frustration that he was pipped to the Ballon d’Or by Rodri. While he remains a contender, he still lacks a World Cup, and Brazil’s prospects appear less certain than in the past. He will be 30 by the time of the next World Cup final, and while it is difficult to see him winning the Ballon d’Or given the competition, the possibility cannot be entirely ruled out.
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