Rodri wins the Ballon d'Or and the Manchester City star becomes the first Premier League winner since Cristiano Ronaldo, but Vinicius Jr and Real Madrid reject the ostentatious party
Rodri crowned a good season by winning football's highest individual award.
At an ostentatious awards ceremony in Paris, in front of his peers – at least some of them – the city of manchester and the Spanish midfielder won the Ballon d'Or.
6
Many expected Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr to win, but he and his Real Madrid teammates chose to stay away from that victory.
The award is for the previous season, not the previous year, and should go to the best player of that specific period, not the best player in the world.
Rodri, who finished the 2023/24 season as a Euro 2024 winner with Spain, was a worthy winner.
The 28-year-old beats Vinicius Jr, who came second, and his Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham to the award.
And his victory marks the first for a Premier League player since 2008, when a 23-year-old christian ronaldo He won it thanks to his great season, in which he scored 42 goals in all competitions and in which 77 of the 96 journalists voted for him.
There were not so many big names at the Théâtre du Chatelet: Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rudiger, Federico Valverde, Arda Guler, Andriy Lunin and Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti spent the night in the capital Spanish instead.
6
6
The Madrid winger's snub comes just days after he allegedly mocked Barcelona midfielder Gavi over the award.
According to the Spanish television program El Chiringuito, Gavi raised four fingers in front of Vinicius to remind him of the score of Saturday's Clásico.
Vinicius responded: “Yes, yes, but on Monday I'm going for the Ballon d'Or.”
The reason for the boycott has not been made clear, however, Vinicius Jr's actions have received some criticism.
“Okay, Vini,” wrote Spanish soccer expert Guillem Balague on X.
“You haven't won, but you should show some respect for the winner, the greatest sign of sportsmanship.
“No one from Real Madrid travels to Paris today for the Ballon d'Or ceremony.”
6
Complete classification of the Men's Ballon d'Or 2024
- Rodri (Manchester City and Spain)
- Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid and Brazil)
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid and England)
- Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid and Spain)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City and Norway)
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid/Paris Saint-Germain and France)
- Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan and Argentina)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona and Spain)
- Toni Kroos (Real Madrid and Germany)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich and England)
- Phil Foden (Manchester City and England)
- Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen and Germany)
- Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig/Barcelona and Spain)
- Ademola Lookman (Atalanta and Nigeria)
- Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao and Spain)
- Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen and Switzerland)
- Federico Valverde (Real Madrid and Uruguay)
- Emi Martínez (Aston Villa and Argentina)
- Martin Odegaard (Arsenal and Norway)
- Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan and Türkiye)
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal and England)
- Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid and Germany)
- Rubén Días (Manchester City and Portugal)
- William Saliba (Arsenal and France)
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea and England)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal and England)
- Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal)
- Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen and Spain)
- Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund and Germany)
- Artem Dovbyk (Dnipro/Girona/Rome and Ukraine)
The winner of the women's Ballon d'Or was won by Barcelona and Spain superstar Aitana Bonmati, who wins it for the second year in a row.
Other awards were presented that night: England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane shared the Gerd Müller Trophy, an award recognizing the best striker in football, with Mbappé.
In addition to Kane, the English women had more success: Emma Hayes won the award for best female coach, the first of its kind. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti won the men's coach award.
There was further success in the Premier League with the Yachine Trophy as Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martínez, who helped Argentina to Copa America glory in the summer, took out the award for the second year in a row.
6
The Kopa Trophy, an award for the best young player, was won by Spanish and Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.
Barcelona was named Women's Club of the Year, while Real Madrid took the title of Men's Club of the Year.
