Rodri Secures 2024 Ballon d'Or, Outshining Vinicius Junior
Rodri has been awarded the 2024 Ballon d'Or, marking a significant achievement in men's soccer. The midfielder earned this prestigious accolade on Monday following an outstanding season, during which he helped Manchester City clinch the Premier League title and led Spain to victory in Euro 2024.
Rodri surpassed Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, who placed second but was absent from the ceremony along with his teammates. Reports indicate that the Real Madrid delegation chose to skip the event after learning that Vinicius would not win the award. Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal from Real Madrid finished in third and fourth places, respectively.
Rodri expressed, "A very special day for me, my family, and my country," as reported by BBC Sport.
Notably, Lionel Messi, the previous year's winner and an eight-time recipient, was not nominated, and neither was Cristiano Ronaldo. This marked the first instance since 2003 that neither player was in contention for the award. Additionally, Rodri is the first male winner under 31 since 2015.
In last year's Ballon d'Or rankings, Rodri placed fifth while contributing to Manchester City's historic treble. Although the 2023-24 season did not reach that level of success, the 28-year-old continued to be recognized as a vital player in Pep Guardiola's strategy, securing his fourth consecutive Premier League title and his first Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup victories.
Last season, Rodri led the Premier League and Champions League in progressive passes and ranked highly for total distance carried with the ball. His absence in four Premier League matches coincided with three losses for Manchester City; the team averaged 2.37 points per match with him on the field compared to 1.90 without him.
Rodri also played a crucial role in Spain's Euro 2024 success, where he was named the tournament's best player. He was instrumental in guiding a young Spanish team through a successful campaign, which included victories over Croatia, Italy, Germany, France, and England.
"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," Rodri stated. "It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder."
The contrast in international performance between Rodri and Vinicius may have influenced the outcome. Vinicius won La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid, also receiving accolades as the top player in the Champions League. However, Brazil's national team struggled in the World Cup qualifiers, currently sitting fourth in South America, and faced elimination in the Copa America quarterfinals.
Vinicius has faced criticism for his international performances, having scored in only one competitive match since Brazil reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup.
Rodri's Manchester City teammate Ilkay Gundogan remarked, "From today on he is finally not 'underrated' anymore." He further commented, "I'm especially happy that someone on a defensive position is winning this title and not always just the offensive players! Rodri is the perfect midfielder, and there's no one that plays his position better than he does."