Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri won the men’s Ballon d’Or for the best footballer of the year but the awards ceremony was marred by a protest from Real Madrid who failed to show up to pick up their own top prizes.
The 28-year-old, who lost just one game last season for club and country, was awarded the prize in Paris on Monday after helping Spain win Euro 2024 in July.
He also won the Premier League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup with City.
Rodri, the first player in the club’s history to win the Ballon d’Or, claimed the award ahead of Real Madrid and Brazil winger Vinicius Jr.
Real Madrid won the award for club of the year and their manager Carlo Ancelotti was the winner of the men’s coach of the year award, but there was no-one from the club present to receive the prizes.
BBC reported earlier on Monday that Real Madrid would boycott the ceremony after reports Vinicius would not win the Ballon d’Or. The European champions said its representatives would not go “where it is not respected” after learning Vinicius would miss out on the trophy, according to reports from AFP and Spanish media.
“A very special day for me, my family and my country,” said Rodri, who appeared on stage on crutches after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in September.
“Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, for so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi [Hernandez], Iker [Casillas], Sergio Busquets, so many others. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder.”
It was the first time since 2003 that neither eight-time winner Lionel Messi, 37, or five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, appeared on the list of nominees. Messi and Ronaldo had won soccer’s most prestigious individual award a combined 13 times over a 16-year period of unprecedented dominance.
The Ballon d’Or recognises the best footballer of the year and is voted for by a jury of journalists from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA men’s world rankings.
Ballon d’Or top 10:
1. Rodri (Spain and Manchester City)
2. Vinicius Jr (Brazil and Real Madrid)
3. Jude Bellingham (England and Real Madrid)
4. Dani Carvajal (Spain and Real Madrid)
5. Erling Haaland (Norway and Manchester City)
6. Kylian Mbappe (France and PSG/Real Madrid)
7. Lautaro Martinez (Argentina and Inter Milan)
8. Lamine Yamal (Spain and Barcelona)
9. Toni Kroos (Germany and Real Madrid)
10. Harry Kane (England and Bayern Munich)
* A version of this article appears in print in the 24 October, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
Short link: