BREAKING: Rodri Outclass Vinicius Junior To Win Ballon d’Or 2024 Men’s Award As Real Madrid Snub ceremony—Rodri has been crowned the best men’s footballer on the planet, surprisingly winning the vote ahead of the bookmakers’ favourite, Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior.
The Genius Media Nigeria reports that The Manchester City midfielder was in imperious form last season, helping his club lift the Premier League title yet again, while also playing a starring role for champions Spain at the UEFA European Championship in the summer.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has won the greatest individual prize in football, lifting the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
He is the first Spaniard to win the Ballon d’Or since Luis Suarez in 1960, the first Premier League player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008, and the first midfielder since Luka Modric in 2018.
Rodri arrived at the ceremony on crutches, having ruptured his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) last month in the early stages of a draw with Arsenal – an injury which has ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
The bookmakers’ favourite to win the Ballon d’Or over recent weeks was Vinicius Junior, with the Brazilian having fired Los Blancos to a Champions League and La Liga double.
Vinicius scored 24 goals and assisted 11 more across all competitions, including a brace in the Champions League semi-final at Bayern Munich and one in the final win over Borussia Dortmund.
It was not enough, though, with Vinicius and the rest of the Madrid squad – including fellow Ballon d’Or contender Jude Bellingham – not travelling to Paris after learning of their fate in advance.
Monday evening’s ceremony in Paris crowned the best men’s player on the planet based on performances in the 2023/24 campaign, which culminated with the international summer tournaments: the European Championship and Copa America.
It marked the third time that the golden ball has been awarded on that basis, after previously going by calendar year. Karim Benzema and Lionel Messi were the other two winners.
Messi scooped the prize based primarily on a tournament, having led Argentina to 2022 World Cup glory – and Euro 2024 may well have proved crucial for Rodri.
The 28-year-old was named as the player of the tournament in Germany, helping La Roja to seven wins from as many games en route to the trophy.
He was forced off through injury at half-time against England in the final, but shone before that, leading the team from central midfield. He chipped in with a knockout-stage goal against Georgia, too.
At club level, Rodri’s importance had the spotlight shone on it in his absence. City lost three of the four Premier League games he missed last term.
Fortunately for The Citizens, he put in sensationally consistent form throughout his 34 games, helping his team to a fourth league title in succession.
Of his three defeats across all competitions, including with the national side, only one was within 90 minutes (against Manchester United, with penalty shootout losses to Arsenal and Real Madrid).
The scorer of the winning goal in the previous season’s UEFA Champions League final also showed his clutch tendencies again, effectively wrapping up the title on the final day of 2023/24 against West Ham United.
There was also an invaluable 88th-minute winner at Sheffield United earlier in the neck-and-neck race with rivals Arsenal.
