Rodri Crowned Ballon d’Or Winner, Outshines Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr.
In a star-studded ceremony in Paris, Manchester City’s midfield maestro Rodri clinched the 2024 Ballon d’Or, edging out Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. for football’s most prestigious individual accolade.
Rodri’s phenomenal year, marked by triumphs in the Premier League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, and a Euro 2024 victory with Spain, made him the standout candidate. His primary rival, Vinicius Jr., had been in the spotlight leading up to the event but chose not to attend upon discovering he would not secure the award. Jude Bellingham, another Ballon d’Or nominee and Vinicius’ teammate, was also notably absent.
Rodri’s win makes him the first midfielder to claim the Ballon d’Or since Luka Modric in 2018, and the first Premier League player to receive it since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008. However, his recent ACL injury has sidelined him for the season, an absence City is already feeling as defensive struggles have emerged without him anchoring the midfield.
Up next, Manchester City faces Tottenham in the Carabao Cup Round of 16, where they will look to prove their resilience without their newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner.