Rise of a Football God

After months of speculation, the 2025 Ballon d'Or award was finally given out, Mohamed Salah joining a host of illustrious footballing greats to have won the award in their career.

And with it, the 2026 Ballon d'Or award race began.

Theoretically, from the moment that the 2025/2026 football season started, the 2026 Ballon d'Or race already started.

But though this was the reality, psychologically, football fans and even football players themselves didn't truly see it so until the previous season's ballon d'Or award was finally given out.

With the award given, they finally felt all shackles of the previous football season leaving them, fully embracing the new season finally.

2024/2025 was gone…

…now all eyes were on the 2025/2026 football campaign.

Who would be Mohamed Salah's successor come October 2026?

Besides, 2026 was special because unlike the previous season, it was a World Cup year. And without doubt, the FIFA World Cup that was to be held in the U.S.A and Canada would become the biggest decider for the ballon d'Or award.

Which country was the favorite for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

After the final string of FIFA World Cup qualifier matches were played this year, FIFA finally released their updated national team ranking.

[FIFA Men's World Ranking:]

[The FIFA Men's World Ranking is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football. The men's teams of the member nations of FIFA, football's world governing body are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest.

[The rankings were introduced in December 1992, and eight teams; Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain have held the top position, of which Brazil have spent the longest time ranked first.]

[Top rankings as of 28th October, 2025:]

[1. Argentina]

[2. Spain]

[3. France]

[4. England]

[5. Brazil]

[6. Portugal]

[7. Netherlands]

[8. Belgium]

[9. Italy]

[10. Germany]

[11. Uruguay]

[12. Colombia]

[13. Croatia]

[14. Morocco]

[15. Japan]

[16. United States]

[17. Senegal]

[18. Iran]

[19. Mexico]

[20. Switzerland]

This were the top 20 highest ranked FIFA nations.

A points system is used to determine the ranking, with points being awarded based on the results of all FIFA-recognized full international matches.

The ranking system has been revamped on several occasions, generally responding to criticism that the preceding calculation method did not effectively reflect the relative strengths of the national teams.

Since 16 August, 2018, the ranking system has adopted the Elo rating system used in chess and Go.

Among the top 20 recognized FIFA nations, there was no place for Nigeria, Senegal and Morocco being the highest ranked African national teams.

After their crazy run during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, going all the way to the semifinals, Morocco climbed into the top 20 of FIFA ranking, eclipsing Senegal as the best African footballing nation. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire

It was also after the 2022 FIFA World Cup that Argentina stole 1st position.

Not just due to the World Cup win, Argentina as a country was going through a purple patch in terms of international football.

Afterall, they were right at the center of an ongoing dynasty.

An imperious Argentine dynasty led by the King, Lionel Messi, who's now led Argentina to an impressive 3-peat of international trophies, winning the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and then the 2024 Copa America in succession.

It was a crazy period for Argentina and its fans, equaling Spain's purple reign during the early 2010s.

There were now even debates on social media about how high they would rank in a ranking of all-time best national football sides.

Argentina was not the out and out favorite though.

Last year, during Euro 2024, Spain showed to the rest of the footballing world that their country was back to dominate football internationally.

Led by the imperious Rodri at the middle of the pitch, and the dynamic duo of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams running the flanks, Spain formed an imperious side that defeated all opposition to win the 2024 Euros.

After that performance, nobody dared underestimate them.

Just like Argentina, they were favorites for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Not just them. Countries like France and Brazil could not be underestimated either. With so many superstars in their squads, the sky was their limit.

Among all these favorites, Nigeria was nowhere to be seen.

This was why recently, a lot of fans urged Sam to leave his country and play for another country of his choice, either England or even Spain.

FC Barcelona were working his Spanish International Passport. If Sam really wanted, he could play for Spain, but is that what he wanted?

That morning, laying down on his bed after completing his daily system quest, Sam looked at his celling, thinking.

He shook his head though. 'Nah, I'll stay'.

He was too loyal to his home country to play for another country.

Call him foolish but the truth was that he was Nigerian true and true, bred and raised from the suburbs of the country.

He could not imagine himself donning the national team jersey of another country. He smiled. 'If Nigeria is not feared, I'll make them feared'.

'They think we're not favorites?' He grinned. 'Try me'.

On his bed, he grinned cheekily, envisioning a fantasy future of himself with the national team winning major trophies.

The FIFA World Cup being important did not mean it was the only criteria to winning the ballon d'Or award though.

Domestic club football performance was still important, so also was the overall performance and achievement in the UEFA Champions League.

'This time, it was Salah's turn'.

Sam's eyes gleamed. 'I'll make sure next year is my turn'.

'But for now, it's family day out time'.

"Babe, you're still on the bed?!" Kayla's raised voice snapped Sam out of his reverie as he chuckled.

"Coming babe," he laughed. "I'll be done in a minute".

After his Golden Boy award, Mrs. Moses was never the same.

Back in Nigeria, Sam's father called him, telling him about how his mother could not stop bragging about the achievement of her son.

"Have you heard?"

"They say my son won the balloon award!"

"He is the best young player in the world!"

Sam was used to his mom's shenanigans though, laughing it off.

And since he had today off, he decided to make his first major individual award memorable, inviting all of his family to meet him here in Spain for the first time in their lives.

And so, having paid for their flight tickets yesterday, this morning, Sam's family finally arrived in Barcelona.

As soon as they arrived, Mrs. Moses did not hold back as she hugged her son, drowning him in kisses, and repeatedly telling him how proud of him she was.

Tired of the kisses and feeling mischievous, Sam smirked at his mom. "Are you sure you're proud of me?"

"Is my memory failing me, or who forbade me from playing football?"

"That…," Mrs. Moses was stumped.

"That, you know…,"

In the end, to Sam's shock, his mom didn't try to wriggle out of it this time like she had always done for 100% of his life.

This time, smiling shamelessly, she accepted it. "I accept, I did forbid you from playing football. Forgive me son, I was foolish then".

"But you can't blame me". She added, making Sam roll his eyes.

"I was just trying to protect my son".

"I mean, come on, I carried you in my stomach for 9 months. Do you know the pains of pushing you out on the day you came out?"

"And you expect me to just accept you getting injured carelessly because you love playing football?"

"Come on, I was concerned for my first fruit, you can't blame me".

Kayla glared at Sam. "Stop it already, stop making mom feel guilty".

Sam chuckled, raising his arms in surrender. "Ok, ok, I surrender".

Mr. Moses laughed. "So, what's the destination this time?"

"Kayla's African Cuisine?"

"Huh?" Mr. Moses looked at Kayla who puffed, smiling proudly.

"After getting exposed to mom's dishes the first time, I become truly fascinated by African foods and so I decided to start up a restaurant here".

"Don't worry, I don't have the time to attend to it every time so I hired African food specialists who would be doing the job in my absence".

"And guess what?" She raised her head proudly. "I brought them all the way from Nigeria the last time I visited".

"When Sam was detained?"

"Yes". She nodded with pride.

"This…, wow!" Mr. Moses was flabbergasted. "To still think of that even in that tense situation, girl, I guess I may have underestimated your calm under pressure".

"I know I'm awesome!" Kayla accepted shamelessly, making the others laugh.

That morning, they went to Kayla's restaurant, enjoying different delicious African delicacies after which Sam took his family on a tour around Barcelona.

He ended the tour by taking them to the iconic Spotify Camp Nou stadium.

Despite coming here already when his son came to Barcelona the first time for his unveiling, Mr. Moses could not help but break down in tears.

"Dad?!" Sam was shocked.

Mr. Moses raised a hand to allay his worries. "It's ok son. It's just, coming here with my family, it's been the longest dream of mine".

"I never thought I'd get to fulfill it someday, but well, here I am".

Sam grinned. "I love you dad, and mom too, and Kayla, and Sophia".

"Why me last?" Sophia grumbled.

Sam laughed.

After a long day, their family's day out finally came to an end.

That night, Sam got a message notification from his coach.

Ding!

{NEW! Unread message from Hansi Flick…}

Hansi Flick dropped the next fixture of FC Barcelona.

Football… was back.