Published on October 29, 2024 by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Last Updated on 2 years by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been awarded the Ballon d’Or after a stellar season that saw him pick up silverware with both club and country.
Rodri was handed the award at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, organised by the French magazine France Football in collaboration with UEFA.
He is the first player from England’s top tier to be crowned since Cristiano Ronaldo won in 2008 during his first stint with Manchester United.
The 28-year-old won his fourth straight Premier League with City in May as Pep Guardiola’s side held off Arsenal‘s challenge, winning their last nine games to clinch the title.
“A very special day, for me, my family and my country,” Rodri said.
“I understand that because I have no social media, people don’t know me much. I am just a normal guy. I enjoy the sport, I enjoy my profession. And I try to be a good person. I am a very calm person.”
Rodri’s stiffest competition for the Ballon d’Or came from Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, who refused to travel to Paris for the ceremony after discovering that he would not take home the trophy. Jude Bellingham finished third in the voting.
Vinícius, 24, had been a leading contender to win the 2024 men’s prize after leading Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season, but sources told ESPN earlier on Monday that neither he nor his fellow Madrid nominees — eight in total across the various awards — would attend the event.
Madrid had been honoured earlier in the ceremony as the men’s team of the year, and Carlo Ancelotti received the coach of the year award, though no representatives of the last Champions League winners were present to accept it.
“I’ll do it 10x if needed. They are not ready,” Vini Jr. posted in Portuguese on X.
Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga made it clear what he thought of the vote, calling it “football politics.”
“FOOTBALL POLITICS X. My brother, you are the best player in the world and no award can say otherwise. Love you my bro,” the France international wrote on X along with a photo of him and Vinicius celebrating together.
The awards are based on voting by a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries.
Rodri was part of the Spain team that won Euro 2024, starting every game except the third group stage match against Albania, and claimed the player of the tournament prize.
He went a world-record 74 games unbeaten for club and country from March 2023 to May 2024, avoiding defeat (other than via penalties) until City’s loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
