Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has backed Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham to win the Ballon d’Or in the future.
During a discussion with his former Manchester United teammate Javier Chicharito Hernandez on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former England player agreed with Chicharito’s view that Bellingham is “underrated” and praised the midfielder.
“I would go so far as to say that I believe he will win a Ballon d’Or one day,” Ferdinand said.
Bellingham joined Real Madrid in 2023 and has become one of the best midfielders in the world. However, he has not yet won football’s biggest individual award.
So far, he has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or three times, with his latest nomination coming in 2025.
His best finish came in 2024 when he placed third after an excellent first season at Real Madrid and helping England reach the European Championship final.
His first Ballon d’Or nomination came in 2023 while he was playing for Borussia Dortmund, where he finished 18th. He later placed 23rd in the 2025 voting and remains a strong candidate for this year’s award.
Although Bellingham had an injury-hit 2025/26 season and did not win any trophies with Real Madrid, he impressed for England at the 2026 World Cup.
The midfielder scored seven goals in North America, finishing ahead of Harry Kane and Ousmane Dembélé, who each scored one goal fewer.
