Featured Image Credit: Global Soccer Awards/Getty
Topics: Manchester City, Rodri, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon d'Or, Real Madrid, Premier League
Luke Davies
Topics: Manchester City, Rodri, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon d'Or, Real Madrid, Premier League
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has seemingly responded to Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments branding his Ballon d'Or victory as ‘unfair’.
Rodri, 28, received the coveted award in a ceremony at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France, on October 28, 2024.
Despite not having played since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal in September, the midfielder is widely regarded as the best ‘number six’ in world football after he won the 2023/24 Premier League with City and Euro 2024 with Spain.
However, in the lead-up to the ceremony, Real Madrid forward Vini Jr was many people’s favourite to pip Rodri to the prize.
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Vini, 24, had also been in fine form in the 2023/24 season as he helped secure Madrid a historic double, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side winning the Champions League as well as La Liga.
When Madrid caught wind of Rodri’s victory, they boycotted the ceremony in the French capital despite being crowned Men’s Club of The Year.
And last week, Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid’s record goalscorer (451), had his say on the matter.
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“[Jude] Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Junior, this younger generation do a fantastic job, and in my opinion, they deserve to win the Ballon d’Or,” said Ronaldo when in attendance at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, UAE, last Friday.
“It wasn’t fair, in my opinion. I'll say that here in front of everybody. They gave it to Rodri. He deserved it, too.
“But I think they should have given it to Vinicius Jr because he won the Champions League and scored a goal in the final. The other issues for me are not important.”
Now, Rodri has issued a response to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner's comments.
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The City midfielder gave his thoughts to Spanish newspaper AS.
“Well, it was a surprise, really, because he knows better than anyone how this award works and, above all, how the winner is chosen,” Rodri explained.
“This year, the journalists who vote have decided that I should win it.
“Probably, these same journalists were the ones who, at some point, voted for him to win it, and I imagine that then he would have agreed.”