Manchester City and Spain midfielder, Rodri, has been crowned the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, marking him as the first Premier League player in 16 years to claim football’s most prestigious award.
His victory also makes him the first defensive midfielder in the history of the award, which dates back to 1956, and the first Spaniard since Luis Suárez won for Barcelona in 1960.
The 28-year-old clinched this honour after an exceptional 2023-24 season, during which he helped Manchester City secure a fourth consecutive Premier League title.
His contributions on the international stage were just as significant, leading Spain to triumph at Euro 2024 in Germany.
Even after an ACL injury he sustained in September against Arsenal threatened to cut his season short, he returned to clinch the Euro 2024 Best Player award.
Remarkably, he was forced off at half-time in the final against England but had already made a lasting impact on the tournament.
Rodri’s season was defined by a remarkable streak: he went 74 matches and 475 days without tasting defeat for either club or country, a run that ended in the FA Cup final against Manchester United last May.
His last Premier League defeat came all the way back in February 2023, when City suffered a narrow 1-0 loss at Tottenham.
This Ballon d’Or victory places Rodri in an elite group of English top-flight winners. The last Premier League player to achieve this accolade was Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 while at Manchester United.
Other previous English top-flight winners include legends such as Stanley Matthews (Blackpool, 1956), Denis Law (Manchester United, 1964), Bobby Charlton (Manchester United, 1966), George Best (Manchester United, 1968), and Michael Owen (Liverpool, 2001).
Real Madrid Reaction
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. had been a strong favourite for the Ballon d’Or, but speculation grew when the club’s entourage decided not to attend the ceremony at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris.
Reports suggested the decision stemmed from Rodri’s rumoured win, which led the club to criticize the award criteria.
In a statement reported by Spanish newspaper AS, Real Madrid stated, “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.”
Notable Awards of the Night
Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid received the Johan Cruyff Trophy for best men’s coach of the year, while former Chelsea coach Emma Hayes won the women’s coaching award after guiding the U.S. to Olympic gold.
Barcelona was named women’s club of the year following their third UEFA Women’s Champions League title in four seasons, while Real Madrid claimed the men’s club of the year honor.
The Gerd Muller Trophy, awarded for top goal scorers, was jointly won by Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, both tallying 52 goals last season.
However, only Kane was in attendance to accept the award, with Mbappe absent along with the Real Madrid delegation.
The night also saw Barcelona’s teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal awarded the Kopa Trophy, which honors the world’s best male player under 21. Yamal, who made headlines as the youngest European Championship goalscorer, continued his meteoric rise by scoring for Spain in their semi-final win over France at Euro 2024.
Martinez Retains Yashin Trophy
Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez retained the Yashin Trophy as the world’s top goalkeeper, becoming a two-time recipient of the honor.
His 2024 season included an impressive Copa America run where he kept five clean sheets, including in the final against Colombia.
Additionally, Martinez’s 15 clean sheets for Villa contributed to their Champions League qualification, underscoring his crucial role for both club and country.
Unai Simon of Spain placed second following his Euro 2024 success, while Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin came in third.
