By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
File: Manchester City midfielder Rodri gestures against Brentford in a Premier League game at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, September 14, 2024. /CFP
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been named the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, becoming the first Premier League player in 16 years to scoop the prestigious prize.
Rodri was helped up on stage by Didier Drogba, with the midfielder currently on crutches after tearing his ACL earlier this season.
The midfielder trumped Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, who finished in second place but didn’t attend the ceremony, along with the rest of the Real Madrid delegation that was expected to be at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
Rodri is the first for a Premier League player since 2008, when Cristiano Ronaldo, then of Manchester United, won the first of his five crowns.
Widely regarded as the best defensive midfielder globally, Rodri is indispensable for Manchester City.
In total, Rodri made 50 appearances for Manchester City in the 2024/25 season, accumulating 4,327 minutes, scoring 9 goals and providing 14 assists while playing as a pivot. These are his numbers, according to Transfermarkt.
Rodri become the second Spanish male Ballon d’Or winner, following in the footsteps of Luis Suárez (1960).
Rodri said: “I have so many things to thank people for. First of all to France Football and to 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 for my family, my country.
“I would like to thank the most important person in the world for me, my girlfriend Laura. Today is our anniversary and without her things wouldn’t have been the same. Thank you.
“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.
Karim Benzema’s win in 2022 – then a Real Madrid player – came after Ronaldo and Lionel Messi had won all but one of the previous 13 titles between them. Messi won the award for the eighth time last year after inspiring Argentina’s World Cup heroics in Qatar.
Barcelona star Bonmati won the women’s Ballon d’Or award for a second year running.
Bonmati’s double success follow on from clubmate Alexia Putellas winning the award two years in a row. The 26-year-old won the World Cup and Champions League – twice – in the past 18 months.
Barcelona completed a clean sweep of the top three places, rounded out by Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti won the Johan Cruyff Trophy as men’s coach of the year while former Chelsea coach Emma Hayes collected the women’s version having led the USA to Olympic gold in the summer.
Real were named the men’s club of the year while Kylian Mbappe also missed the chance to pick up the Gerd Muller trophy he won jointly with Harry Kane as the Real Madrid delegation stayed at home.
In a statement reported by Spanish newspaper AS, the club said: “If the award criteria doesn’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.”
Mbappe and Kane shared the Gerd Muller trophy after both players finished last season with 52 goals, but only Kane was on hand to collected the award.