Pedri, Barcelona’s midfielder, expresses his Ballon d’Or aspirations, spurred by Rodri’s win, highlighting the recognition of midfielders. He emphasizes the importance of a strong team season to achieve this goal and praises teammates Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele as potential future winners.
Barcelona's young midfielder, Pedri, has revealed his ambition to win the Ballon d'Or, inspired by Rodri's recent triumph. The prestigious award, long dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, has only been claimed by a select few, including Luka Modric, Karim Benzema, and Rodri since 2008.
Pedri played a crucial role in Barcelona's impressive 2024-25 season, where they secured a domestic treble. He contributed four goals and five assists in 37 LaLiga appearances, creating an impressive 70 chances, only surpassed by Alex Baena and teammate Raphinha.
Pedri acknowledged the historical bias towards attacking players in Ballon d'Or selections. However, he believes Rodri's victory signals a shift in recognizing the importance of midfielders.
"For a long time, this award was mainly given to strikers," Pedri stated. "Rodri's victory proves that the role of midfielder is finally being recognised for what it's worth because a lot of football is played in midfield. When a team dominates that area, it wins matches more easily."
He added, "So yes, why not dream of winning the Ballon d'Or during my career? To do that, we'll need to have a very good season as a team."
Following the Ballon d'Or shortlist announcement, Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele have emerged as potential frontrunners. Pedri, who has played alongside both, praised their exceptional talent.
"Playing with them is a real pleasure," Pedri said. "Both have had incredible seasons, each in their own style. Lamine is a player who dares to go into tackles and handles one-on-ones with great confidence. He has this ability to dribble with incredible ease, as if he had no defenders in front of him. He plays for fun, and it shows. He has enormous potential and is very good with both feet; we're not even sure which one is his favourite."
He continued, "As for Dembélé, he's a very unpredictable player, capable of attacking on either side, which makes him difficult for opponents to read. He's also coming off an exceptional season, often proving decisive."