Rodri wins Ballon d’Or, calls prize a ‘victory for Spanish football’

PARIS – Manchester City midfielder Rodri called it a “victory for Spanish football” after winning the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world on Oct 28, beating Brazil’s Vinicius Jr and England’s Jude Bellingham, both of Real Madrid, to the prestigious prize.

His compatriot, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati, won the women’s award for a second time.

Rodri, a first-time winner of the award, was instrumental in helping City win an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League trophy in the 2023-24 season. He was also named best player at the 2024 European Championship after Spain lifted a record-extending fourth title.

The 28-year-old Madrid native is the first defensive midfielder to win the Ballon d’Or since Lothar Matthaus in 1990 and the third Spaniard to claim the prize after Alfredo di Stefano (1957 and 1959) and Luis Suarez (1960).

While the award has been dominated by Spanish league players, no Spaniard had won since the late Barcelona great Suarez more than 60 years ago, despite Spain’s golden generation that won the 2010 World Cup, as well as the 2008 and 2012 Euros.

But Rodri, the player that City coach Pep Guardiola said is “the best midfielder in the world”, finally ended that run with a unique skill set that has made his club the dominant force in England and helped Spain rule Europe again.

“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 said on stage at the ceremony in Paris.

“It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder.

“Today many friends have written to me and have told me that football has won, for giving visibility to so many midfielders who have a job in the shadows and today it is coming to light.

“I’m a regular guy with values, who studies, who tries to do things right and doesn’t try to follow the stereotypes and even so I have been able to get to the top, and it is thanks to all of you.”

He became only the third person not named Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the award since 2008. Croatia’s Luka Modric won in 2018 while France’s Karim Benzema, who like Modric starred for Real, won in 2022.

It was the first time since 2003 in which neither Messi nor Ronaldo made the final 30-man list of nominees. Portugal’s Ronaldo, who has won the award five times and was the previous Premier League player to win it, in 2008, also failed to receive a nomination in 2023 after moving to Saudi Arabia. Messi, who won for a record eighth time in 2023, missed out despite Argentina’s Copa America triumph.

Rodri has lost only one match in the past 18 months – City’s surprise FA Cup final defeat by Manchester United last season.

His Spain teammate Lamine Yamal, 17, won the Kopa Trophy for the best Under-21 player by helping La Roja to a perfect Euro 2024 campaign, winning seven games.

Bonmati, 26, won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive year while compatriot Jennifer Hermoso, 34, was awarded the Socrates Award for her role in the fight for women’s rights in football and her courageous stance against sexism in sport.

Real boycotted the ceremony in anticipation of Vinicius not winning the men’s award. Hours before the ceremony, the Spanish club announced its delegation would not attend the event at Chatelet Theatre because of what it perceived as a snub of Vinicius.

No one from the club was present when they won the men’s club of the year award, and their manager Carlo Ancelotti was named men’s coach of the year.

Barcelona grabbed the trophy for women’s best club for winning the European and Spanish league double last season.

Rodri was diplomatic when addressing Real’s no-show.

“They have their decision, they didn’t want to be here for their reasons,” he said. “I just focus on my club and my teammates.” REUTERS, AFP