Despite Real Madrid anger, Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win a triumph for those who toil in the shadows

Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win a triumph for those who toil in the shadows (X/ballondor)

Ever since Real Madrid won the UEFA Champions League for the 15th time on June 1, the expectation was that one from the trio of Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham or Dani Carvajal would lift the coveted Ballon d’Or. So confident were Real that they had plans to take a contingent of 50 to the awards, with Real Madrid TV doing a five-hour-long segment.

Then, on Monday (October 28) afternoon, rumours started swirling that Manchester City’s Rodri would win the award for the best men’s player. By ceremony time in Paris, Real and their representatives were conspicuous by their absence. Real were named [men’s] Club of the Year, with Carlo Ancelotti picking up the Johan Cruyff Trophy for Coach of the Year. Kylian Mbappe, who moved to the Santiago Bernabeu from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season, shared the Gerd Muller Trophy for leading goal-scorer with Harry Kane. But neither these individuals, nor Vinicius, who finished second behind Rodri, made it to Paris.

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“If the award criteria doesn't give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner," said a statement that Real released to Spain’s media outlets. "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."

As for Vinicius, his post on X simply said: "I'll do it 10x if I have to. They're not ready."

Eu farei 10x se for preciso. Eles no esto preparados.
Vini Jr. (@vinijr) October 28, 2024

Broadly speaking, the Ballon d’Or is awarded based on three criteria – a player’s individual performances, his/her character and the impact they have on their teams. In that respect, there’s little doubt that Rodri is a more than deserving winner. When he took over from Brazil’s Fernandinho at the base of City’s midfield, he was filling the boots of one of the great defensive midfielders. Now, it can be argued without controversy that Rodri has surpassed both Fernandinho and Yaya Toure while making himself indispensable to how Pep Guardiola’s team plays.

Rodri is not just a midfield destroyer either. His passes invariably find their mark, and his goals tend to be the most vital ones, as one of the last day of the 2021-22 English season, when a slip from City would have given Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool the title. And in the past few years, he has performed the same role for Spain, helping the national team rebuild after nearly a decade of drift.

Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams stole the headlines as Spain romped to the Euro 2024 title, but there wasn’t a murmur of protest when Rodri was voted Player of the Tournament. Those who know their football understood that he made the team tick. Without a beast of a central defender likes Carles Puyol or Fernando Hierro, Rodri’s role as the midfield ‘screen’ became all the more important. That Spain scored 15 goals and conceded just four, while beating the cream of European football – England, France, Germany, Italy and Croatia – was down to the control Rodri gave them in midfield.

City were also unlucky to lose their grip on the Champions League. They bossed both the possession and the shot-count against Real in the quarterfinal and were unfortunate to lose out on penalties after a 3-3 draw in Madrid and a 1-1 stalemate on home turf. There are few who would argue that they wouldn’t have gone on to retain their trophy had they got past Real.

“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,” said Rodri in his acceptance speech, as he became the first Spaniard since Luis Suarez of Barcelona in 1960 to win the award.

“It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder. I'm a regular guy with values, who studies, who tries to do things right and doesn't try to follow the stereotypes, and even so I have been able to get to the top and it is thanks to all of you."

Regardless of what Real think, Rodri’s victory is a triumph for football and those that do the thankless work so that the glory boys can score goals.

In exclusive arrangement with RevSportz