Rodri of Manchester City has won the 2024 Ballon d’Or, defeating Vinicius Junior, who finished second but boycotted the gala with Real Madrid in protest. Rodri, who accepted the award on crutches due to a knee injury, was recognized after leading Spain to a European Championship victory. The ceremony saw FC Barcelona players present, while Toni Kroos from Germany placed ninth, amid grievances over the omission of other German players from the voting.
Rodri, the talented midfielder from Spain, has been named the winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or, delivering a surprising victory over Vinicius Junior, who finished in second place. Following a protest, Vinicius and his club, Real Madrid, chose to boycott the awards ceremony. Toni Kroos secured a spot in the top ten finalists.
In an unexpected twist, Rodri captured the prestigious Ballon d’Or for the first time, succeeding legendary Lionel Messi. The gala took place on Monday evening in Paris, where the 28-year-old was honored with this esteemed award. Vinicius Junior, along with Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal from Real Madrid, followed closely behind in the rankings. Prior to the event, it was rumored that no Real Madrid player would emerge victorious, prompting the club to unanimously decide against attending the ceremony in France.
The absence of Real Madrid was palpable during the gala, particularly during the segment recognizing the club as the best team, which was presented only through a video montage. In contrast, players from FC Barcelona were present to receive the award for the best women’s team. Emma Hayes, who won the award for top female coach, sent a video message, while Carlo Ancelotti, the coach of Real Madrid, did not attend.
‘Unbreakable Bond Among Friends’
In the women’s soccer category, Aitana Bonmatí emerged victorious, outshining her Barcelona teammates Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo. This trio secured the championship title together. Additionally, young star Lamine Yamal from FC Barcelona was named the best young player, having celebrated success with Rodri in the European Championship held in Germany this past summer.
For German athletes, the night was less favorable, as none received awards. Toni Kroos managed to secure ninth place in the Ballon d’Or rankings, while Florian Wirtz was ranked twelfth. Antonio Rüdiger and Mats Hummels landed in 22nd and 29th place, respectively. Notably, Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala was omitted from the voting list entirely, a situation that caused discontent within the club.
Before the main awards were announced, sports personalities came together to honor the legendary German football figure Franz Beckenbauer, who passed away in January. His widow, Heidi Beckenbauer, praised him as a “unique man with a big, big heart.” The event featured a rendition of the song “Good friends can never be parted,” originally sung by Beckenbauer in 1966, alongside a presentation of nostalgic photos and videos, which set the stage for the celebration of current football achievements.
Rodri Receives Award on Crutches
Rodri played a crucial role in Manchester City’s English championship title last season and led the Spanish national team to victory in the European Championship this summer. Unfortunately, an unexpected setback struck at the start of the current season when he suffered a significant knee injury in September, sidelining him for several months. Despite this adversity, Rodri accepted his Ballon d’Or award while using crutches.
The Ballon d’Or has been a prestigious accolade since its inception in 1956, originally designated for the best European player. From 2010 to 2015, it evolved into the world footballer award through a partnership between the French media group Groupe Amaury and FIFA. Starting this year, UEFA has taken over the selection process for the best European footballer.
Throughout the last two decades, at least one of the renowned players, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, has consistently made the Ballon d’Or shortlist. However, this year marked a deviation from that trend. Since 2008, these two football icons have dominated the award, with the exception of Luka Modrić in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022.