Rodri became the first Manchester City footballer to win the coveted Ballon d'Or 2024 award when he was announced as the winner at the ceremony on Monday at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. In the past 16 years, he is only the third player to receive the accolade, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, Rodri also made a compelling argument for winning the Ballon d'Or. With 17 goal contributions, the midfielder played a crucial role in Manchester City's Premier League victory. In addition, he helped Spain achieve Euro 2024 and earned the UEFA Super Cup while playing for the Citizens.
Rodri, speaking on behalf of Manchester City, said he was thrilled to be at his second straight Ballon d'Or ceremony. He referred to Spain's stunning UEFA Euro 2024 victory as "a dream come true," nevertheless he stressed that football is still a team sport.
Dani Carvajal, who finished the previous season with seven goals as well as eight assists in 59 games, was also a standout player. Interestingly, he was voted Player of the Match for one of those goals during the UEFA Champions League final. The right-back finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or rankings behind winner Rodri as well as Real Madrid teammates Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
Was Vinicius Junior robbed of the Ballon d’Or 2024 trophy?
Real Madrid did not travel to Paris, where the Théâtre du Châtelet was hosting the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony. Carlo Ancelotti, Florentino Pérez, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal, teammates and fellow Ballon d'Or contenders, also decided to skip the event. The Brazilian forward has no plans to attend the ceremony after it was made known that Rodri will win the prestigious award.
Because of his role in Real Madrid's La Liga, UEFA Champions League, and Spanish Super Cup victories, Vinícius Jr. was the front-runner to receive the prize. The Brazilian scored six goals during the Champions League, notably one against Borussia Dortmund in the final, 15 goals in La Liga, and a hat trick during the Spanish Super Cup final.