The new winner of the Ballon d’Or is known! This Monday, Rodri raised the most prestigious individual distinction, succeeding Lionel Messi on the list.
Rodri in the pantheon of the greatest
Although he has been injured for several weeks and came to the ceremony on crutches, the Spanish midfielder had the honor of lifting the coveted prize. He is rewarded for his great 2023/2024 season which notably saw him take part in winning the treble with his Manchester City team.
Rodri was crowned by beating Vinicius Jr. in the number of votes. The latter was the big favorite to win the Ballon d’Or, but in the end the votes were against him. Real Madrid learned of this issue well before the start of the ceremony, although France Football assured that no leak took place. The Merengue chose to boycott the evening. Thus, none of their representatives showed up at the Théâtre Châtelet.
First Spanish crown since 1960
Rodri is the very first Spanish player to win the Ballon d’Or since Luis Suarez in 1960. Raul was the one who came closest in 2001 without being able to be crowned (behind Michael Owen).
On the other hand, the former Atlético Madrid player also became the first defensive midfielder to add his name to the Ballon d’Or winners since the German Matthias Sammer in 1996.
