October 29 – After a stellar season that saw him pick up silverware with both club and country, Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri won the men’s Ballon d’Or award on Monday but the entire occasion was overshadowed by Real Madrid boycotting the prestigious annual event in Paris.
Real won the club of the year trophy and their manager Carlo Ancelotti was the winner of the men’s coach award, but there was no-one from the club present to receive the prizes.
Real snubbed the glitzy gala when they discovered that Vinicius Jnr, who led them to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season but has been the subject of frequent racial abuse in the Spanish league, would not win the men’s award.
Despite sweeping the evening’s prizes, the European champions said their representatives would not go where Real are “not respected” after learning Vinicius – who ultimately came second in the voting – would miss out on the prestigious trophy itself.
Rodri, who helped Spain win Euro 2024 in July but who is currently sidelined with a serious injury, lost just one game last season for club and country. He is the first Spanish player to win the men’s award since 1960 and the first English Premier League player to do so since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008.
He claimed the award ahead of Vinicius Jr with another Real star, England midfielder Jude Bellingham, coming third – the highest an English player had finished since Frank Lampard’s second place in 2005.
“A very special day for me, my family and my country,” said Rodri, who appeared on stage on crutches after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in September.
“Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, for so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi [Hernandez], Iker [Casillas], Sergio Busquets, so many others. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder.”
Real apparently believed Vinicius’ team-mate Dani Carvajal had also been overlooked for the main prize.
“If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner,” the club said
“As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or-Uefa does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
The awards, organised by France Football, are based on voting by a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations. Each journalist selects 10 players from a list of 30 nominees, placing them in order from 10th to first.
Spanish newspaper Marca reported Real had planned to send a delegation of 50, and cancelled plans to broadcast a five-hour programme on RMTV.
Brazil women’s legend Marta was quoted as saying: “I waited all year for Vini Jr to be deservedly recognised as the best player in the world and now they come to tell me that the Ballon d’Or is not for him?”
Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe shared the Gerd Muller Trophy for the best goalscorer after both netted 52 in all competitions last season.
Emma Hayes won the best women’s coach prize after steering Chelsea to a fifth consecutive Women’s Super League (WSL) title before leaving to take over the United States who won Olympic Games gold medal in Paris.
Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati picked up the women’s Ballon d’Or award for the second year in a row as her Barcelona side secured a remarkable quadruple.
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