Spanish voter leaves Vinícius out of Balón de Oro top 10 before Monday ceremony

A ballot cast by 100 journalists

France Football has handed out the Balón de Oro for 70 years, and this edition was decided by 100 journalists from the 100 highest-ranked countries in the FIFA ranking. Spain's voter is José Félix Díaz, director of the sports daily As. Voting in order for the ten best players closed on 28 September, and Díaz cast his ballot a few days before that, after thinking about it at length. He said he had six or seven possible winners in mind, which made the task difficult. Confidentiality rules stop him from revealing his full ballot before the ceremony, but he has hinted at some names. He hopes people understand that the choice is complicated and involves many factors, and that it is not a matter of arithmetic.

Favourites and a notable exclusion

Díaz said Messi, Mbappé and Lamine Yamal will be among his ten, adding that he was not revealing any secret. El Confidencial describes Mbappé and Lamine Yamal as the two main favourites for the award, with Harry Kane as a third factor in the race. Díaz was clear about one name. He said Vinícius Júnior had been the best player for several years but is no longer among the world's top ten.

“For me Vinicius has been the best player for a few years, but now he is not among the 10 best players in the world.”

Mbappé settles the Clásico

Mbappé scored both goals as Real Madrid won the Clásico (1-2), handing Barcelona its first defeat of the season. The first goal came from a mishit cross by Diomande that Gerard Martín tried to clear, and it struck the Frenchman's legs before going in. The second followed a move involving Bellingham and Camavinga, which Mbappé finished. Lamine Yamal had a poor match and was largely shut out by a standout performance from Marc Cucurella. The game also carried other storylines, including José Mourinho's return to the Camp Nou, Cucurella's first match for Madrid against his former club, and the reunion of Bernardo Silva and Rodri.

What comes next

The Balón de Oro will be presented on Monday, 26 October, at the Palladium theatre in London. Voters were asked to rank their top ten players in order, and individual ballots stay confidential until the ceremony. El Confidencial frames the Clásico as a head-to-head between Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, each trying to lead his team. Díaz's own list has now been partly disclosed, with three names confirmed among his ten and Vinícius excluded.