Luis Diaz has been thriving in Germany since swapping Liverpool for Bayern Munich, and one teammate believes the World Cup could thrust him into Ballon d'Or contention
13:00, 11 Jun 2026
Luis Diaz of FC Bayern München celebrates with the trophy during the DFB Cup Final 2026 match between FC Bayern München and VfB Stuttgart at Olympiastadion on May 23, 2026 in Berlin, Germany.
Former Liverpool star Luis Diaz has been tipped with a chance of winning the Ballon d'Or. (Image: EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)
Luis Diaz can be very pleased with the timing of his career choices. The Colombian departed Liverpool as a Premier League champion, and then lifted the Bundesliga, Supercup, and DFB-Pokal titles in his debut season with Bayern Munich (while his old club faltered badly).
Not only that, but Diaz has personally found a new lease of life in Bavaria. There was a feeling at the time that Liverpool had made the right call by cashing in, with the winger's effectiveness somewhat plateauing in his latter years at Anfield.
That verdict is still defensible given the significant $87.5 million price tag, not least against the backdrop of Liverpool allowing yet more frustrating free transfer departures this summer in the shape of Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate. But there's no denying that Diaz has looked worth every penny of that fee since donning the Bayern jersey.
In any ordinary team, 15 league goals and 17 assists would make you the undisputed star forward. The freakish form of fellow Premier League alum Harry Kane means that Diaz has gone slightly under the radar, but the former Liverpool star deserves major recognition.
Indeed, with numbers like that, it is not unreasonable to ask the Ballon d'Or question. Clubmate Kane currently leads the betting, and so logic should dictate that one of the team's other star forwards is at least in some kind of contention after enjoying the same silverware-laden campaign.
The odds do not reflect that. Diaz currently sits outside the top 20, bizarrely positioned slightly behind Dominik Szoboszlai.
Yet the World Cup can change everything. Colombia are not hotly fancied, but if Diaz can inspire a deep run, his name will be mentioned with far more regularity; just ask Luka Modric, who broke the Messi/Ronaldo duopoly after a journey to the final in 2018.
Colombia's midfielder #10 James Rodriguez (L) puts the captain's sash on Colombia's forward #07 Luis Diaz during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Colombia and Paraguay at the Metropolitano Roberto Melendez stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, on March 25, 2025.
Luis Diaz has taken over from James Rodriguez as Colombia's leading man. (Image: LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)
Modric's former club colleague James Rodriguez certainly thinks so. He will be playing alongside Diaz this summer, and thinks his teammate could be in with a shot.
"Luis Díaz for the Ballon d'Or?" Rodriguez pondered, per DSports (via iMiaSanMia). "Of course, why not?
"For me he's currently in the top 5, he's had a unique season. If he makes it to the big final and we end up as champions, then Lucho Ballon d'Or, why not?"
Of course, that is a major "if". But Colombia would hope for a resonably safe passage out of the group stage, having been drawn against Portugal, DR Congo, and Uzbekistan.
From there, there are too many permutations to make much of a projection, although a second-placed group finish would set up a tie against second in England's group. That could be Thomas Tuchel's men, although Ghana or Croatia would be the likelier opponents.
Meanwhile, four of the top 10 favorites for the Ballon d'Or (including Bayern teammate Michael Olise) are drawn from the France squad. If they were to underperform at the World Cup, Diaz would perhaps see his stock rise.
Of course, it's still a long shot from Rodriguez (although he's known for success in that particular department at World Cups). But the fact it's even up for discusssion is testament to Diaz's season.
Diaz with Michael Olise, one of the favorites for the Ballon d'Or ahead of the World Cup. (Image: Christina Pahnke - sampics/Getty Images)
And it puts Liverpool's summer into sharper relief, too. Cody Gakpo does not deserve half of the stick he gets, and certainly warrants an opportunity under Andoni Iraola, but there's no escaping the fact that the left wing lost some potency this season.
Arne Slot spent much of his second campaign moaning about low blocks. He could have done with someone truly willing to run at players and make them uncomfortable, which explains why Rio Ngumoha was such a hit in his cameos.
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Ngumoha himself may be the long-term answer to succeeding Diaz on the left. But Liverpool will need to find a similar injection of creativity and flair on the right, having sanctioned Salah's exit.
For now, though, transfers will take a back seat as we take in the fun of the World Cup. There's no doubt that Diaz will have plenty of Liverpool fans rooting for him to do well — and perhaps even play himself into Ballon d'Or contention.