One of the most prestigious individual awards given by French Football, the Ballon d'Or event was successfully concluded on October 29th. There was much hype around Brazilian maestro Vinicius Junior winning the converted title; however, as the night progressed, it was revealed that Manchester City's midfielder was the best footballer in the world last season.
Watch Fans shout 'Vini' before the award is given:
Many fans thought Vinicius Junior was the front-runner to win the title and cheered his name even before the award was formally announced.
The people at the ceremony saying Vinicius Jr’s name before it’s revealed, they know. 😂
— TC (@totalcristiano) October 28, 2024
pic.twitter.com/khSeyQnJAF
Real Madrid's Boycott, Rodri's Destiny
In the build-up to the marquee event, Real Madrid opted not to attend the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Key figures such as Carlo Ancelotti, Florentino Pérez, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal, alongside their teammate and fellow Ballon d'Or contender, have also chosen to forgo the event. Notably, the Brazilian forward has decided not to participate after the announcement that Rodri will receive the prestigious award.
Rodri made history by becoming the first Manchester City footballer to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award for 2024. The announcement took place during the ceremony on Monday at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Remarkably, he is only the third player to achieve this honour in the past 16 years, joining the ranks of esteemed legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Rodri's exploits in the Euros and Premier League helped him win the title. Besides being the best midfielder in the world, Rodri was also the player of the tournament in Euros 2024, where he led a young Spanish side to European Glory.