Watch out Jude: only Bellingham left as Ballon d’Or curse strikes again

First up: Rodri. After that: Vinicius Jr. Up next: Jude?

The top two players in the world have both fallen to injury and have blamed the tough calendar on their physical issues, with Real Madrid winger the latest name to come out publicly to whip a sharp tongue at the fixture list.

While it appeared that Vinicius Jr did not suffer any problems in Madrid’s ultimately comfortable win over CD Leganés in LaLiga, the club confirmed the morning after the game that the Brazilian would be out of action for at least 3 weeks - until around December 18 - with a hamstring injury.

Bellingham the last man standing

Vini Jr took to social media to blame the “crazy calendar” for his injury, relaying the very same message that Rodri had done just weeks before, on the eve of his severe injury.

The Ballon d’Or holder suffered an ACL tear as well as meniscus damage in a 2-2 draw against Arsenal in September.

Daniel Carvajal, Real Madrid’s captain, is also out for the long term after suffering a triple rupture in his knee late in the LaLiga game against Villarreal. He came 4th in the Ballon d‘Or rankings and also publicly came out against the ’senseless' football calendar back in August.

Full screen

In fact, of the top 10 in the final Ballon d’Or rankings, only one player has not been injured this season: Erling Haaland. Rodri, Vinicius Jr, Bellingham, Carvajal, Mbappé, Lautaro, Lamine Yamal and Kane (Kroos is retired) have all suffered injuries this season.

Get your Game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and Entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.