How to read this story
Football
Sports Report
Sport & Society
Performance, competition, community identity and sports economy
Ballon d’Or 2024: Rodri Claims the Prestigious award as Vinicius Junior fizzled out
The world of football was thrown into a “shock” mode as Rodri was crowned 2024 Ballon d’Or winner ahead of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.
The Manchester United Midfield maestro pipped the Real Madrid star to the award yesterday as Aitana Bonmati claimed a similar award in the female category.
Rodri will be the second player from the English Premier League to clinch the award after Cristiano Ronaldo did in 2008 while playing for City’s rivals, Manchester United.
Aitana Bonmati, FC Barcelona star, won the award for the second time in two years as Emma Hayes, former Chelsea women’s coach won the women’s coach of the year award.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has claimed the award in the male category.
Entire Real Madrid staff skipped the award ceremony in France after learning that Vinicius Junior would not be crowned the winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or despite being speculated for months that he would be the “undisputed and worthiest winner.”
The decision to crown Rodri the winner ahead of Real Madrid stars Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal and Jude Bellingham was made by a 100-strong panel of voters who acknowledged Rodri’s input into the successes of Manchester City and Spain with a run of lengthy unbeaten matches.
Reacting to Rodri having won the Ballon d’Or after being fizzled out, Vinicius Junior tweeted via his verified page on X: “I’ll do it 10 times if I have to. They’re not ready.”
Ballon d’Or 2024: Rodri Claims The Prestigious Award.
Rodri who is on a lengthy spell on the sideline following the ACL injury he sustained during Manchester City’s home match against their title rivals, Arsenal, in September, enjoyed a stellar career in 2023-24, winning EPL titles four times in a row and winning Euro 2024 trophy with Spain.
The Manchester City midfielder was voted the ‘Best Player of the Tournament’ in Germany last summer.
Even with his inability to finish the final match against England after being subbed off in the second half due to injury.
He was seen assisted onto the pitch after he arrived at the venue of the event on crutches, nursing the injury expected to rule him out of the season.
It is a remarkable fit that Rodri went 74 games and 475 days on the pitch without tasting a defeat for Manchester City and Spain.
The past year with the run of unbeaten matches came to an end following the FA Cup Final defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals, Manchester United in May.
A 1-0 defeat at Tottenham, in February 2023, was the last time Rodri had lost an EPL match.
Rodri has also become the first defensive midfielder to the prestigious award since 1956.
He remains the first Spanish player to claim the prize since Barcelona’s Luiz Suarez in 1960.
Translated from Spanish, Rodri said:
“I have so many things to thank people for. First of all to France Football and UEFA for giving me this award. I would like to thank those who voted for me and put their trust in me. Today is a very special day for me and my family, my country.”
“I would like to thank the Ballon d’Or 2024: Rodri Claims The Prestigious Award. THE most important person in the world for me, IS my girlfriend Laura. Today is our anniversary and without her things wouldn’t have been the same. Thank you.
Ballon d’Or 2024: Rodri Claims The Prestigious Award.
“Also my family, of course. The values they have taught me and all they represent in me, for having taught me the right steps to take and for helping me become the man I am. English top-flight Ballon d’Or winners
“I don’t want to forget my team-mates, I understand it is a group game. Manchester City is so special, I know I wouldn’t make this without you. For me, it is the best club in the world, and thanks to them things happen much easier.
“The national team and Luis (de la Fuente, coach), for trusting me for so long, I have to mention my teammates with whom we won the Euros. This is not just for me but for Spanish football.”
The first EPL player to claim the prize was Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 while at Manchester United.
Karim Benzema won it in 2022 while playing for Real Madrid−who came after the award was made a two-way competition between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lionel Messi won the award last year, for the eighth time, leading Argentina to a World Cup triumph in Qatar. Another excitement comes as Bonmati was named the women’s Ballon d’Or winner for the second year in a row.
Bonmati, the Barcelona playmaker, had been tipped to claim the prestigious prize after her heroic displays in both La Liga F and Women’s Champions League won Barcelona the title for three out of four seasons.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was named the winner of the Johan Cruyff Trophy as Men’s football coach of the year while former Chelsea women’s team coach Emma Hayes won the women version of it after she led the USA women’s team to Olympic Gold during the summer.
Real Madrid, which boycotted the Ballon d’Or event, was named men’s club of the year with Kylian Mbape being a Real’s players−also absent−jointly won the Gerd Muller award with England forward and captain Harry Kane.
Real Madrid’s statement after the boycott decision, as reported by the Spanish newspaper AS, read: “If the award criteria don’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to (Dani) Carvajal as the winner.
“As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or does not respect Real Madrid. Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
In the absence of his joint-winner, Harry Kane expressed his gratitude as he joyfully received the prize.
“Thank you to my club Bayern Munich, all my staff, team-mates, for helping me score all the goals I scored,” the England captain said. “It’s an honour to take this award from a club legend (Karl-Heinz Rummenigge), thank you very much.”
Ballon d’Or 2024: Rodri Claims The Prestigious Award.
Photo Credit: News18
BARCELONA YOUNGSTER LAMINE YAMAL RECEIVES THE KOPA TROPHY
There was a shock and pandemonium as the Kopa Trophy award for the best male player under the age of twenty-one- was given to Yasmine Lamal, the Barcelona Teenage prodigy.
The younger Barcelona forward has become the youngest goal scorer in the history of European Competitions when he only had four days to his seventeenth birthday.
He scored for Spain in their semi-final victory over France before winning the final match against England.
Barcelona women were named the women’s team of the year after defeating Lyon in last season’s Women’s Champions League final, claiming their third European title in four years.
FORMER ARSENAL, CURRENT ASTON VILLA AND ARGENTINA GOALKEEPER EMILIANO MARTINEZ NAMED YASHIN TROPHY WINNER AGAIN.
Martinez, who has had superb performances for Arsenal, Aston Villa and Argentina, has successfully defended his “world’s number one” status after winning Yashin Trophy second time in a row.
Martinez played a crucial part last season in Argentina’s Copa America victory, during which he kept five clean sheets in six games, including in the final, as Argentina beat Columbia 1-0 to claim the trophy.
Also, last season for Aston Villa, he kept 15 clean sheets in all competitions as they qualified for the Champions League.
Spain national team goalkeeper Unai Simon came second following his Euro 2024 win with Spain, with Andriy Lunin of Real Madrid named the world’s third-best goalkeeper for his outings after standing in for injured Thibaut Courtois.
Ballon d’Or 2024: Rodri Claims The Prestigious Award.
