Men's Ballon d'Or 2024: Rodri wins while Real Madrid and Vinicius Junior snub the ceremony

Ballon d'Or 2024: Rodri unexpectedly defeated Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, the bookmakers' favorite, to win the title of best men's football player in the world. 

In addition to playing a key role for champions Spain at the UEFA European Championship in the summer, the Manchester City midfielder was in dominant form last season, helping his team win the Premier League title once more.

By winning the 2024 Ballon d'Or, Manchester City midfielder Rodri has taken home the greatest individual award in football.

He is the first Spaniard to win the Ballon d'Or since Luis Suarez in 1960, the first player from the Premier League to do so since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008, and the first midfielder to do so since Luka Modric in 2018.

Rodri, who has been sidelined for the rest of the season due to an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) rupture that occurred during the early minutes of a draw with Arsenal last month, arrived at the ceremony on crutches.

Vinicius Junior, a Brazilian who led Los Blancos to a UEFA Champions League and La Liga double, was the bookmakers' favorite to win the Ballon d'Or in recent weeks.

Vinicius scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions, including two goals in the final victory over Borussia Dortmund and a brace against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final.

However, it was insufficient because Vinicius and the other Madrid players, including Jude Bellingham, another Ballon d'Or candidate, did not travel to Paris after being informed of their fate beforehand.

To be chosen as the best in front of these guys makes me incredibly proud. I would like to express my gratitude to those who see my worth in the game.

During a ceremony held in Paris on Monday night, the world's top men's player was determined by their performances during the 2023–24 season, which ended with the international summer tournaments, the Copa America and the European Championship.

The Golden Ball was given out on that basis for the third time; previously, it was given out according to the calendar year. Karim Benzema and Lionel Messi were the other two winners.

Messi won the prize mainly because of a tournament after leading Argentina to World Cup success in 2022, and Rodri might have needed Euro 2024.

The 28-year-old helped La Roja win seven games in a row on their way to the trophy, earning him the title of player of the tournament in Germany.

Rodri commented on finishing ahead of those two superstars: "With the players around me, they are incredible players at the greatest level... they are so young, they hold the key to the future.

Prior to his injury-induced dismissal at halftime against England in the final, he was a standout player who led the team from central midfield. He also contributed with a goal against Georgia in the knockout stage.

The focus was on Rodri's significance at the club level when he was not there. Last season, he missed four Premier League games, and City lost three of them.

Luckily for The Citizens, he played 34 games with remarkably consistent form, leading his team to their fourth consecutive league title.

The player who scored the game-winning goal in the Champions League final the season before also demonstrated his clutch skills once more, essentially securing the championship against West Ham United on the last day of 2023–2024.

In the close race with rivals Arsenal, there was also a crucial victory in the 88th minute at Sheffield United.

Of his three losses in all competitions, including with the national team, only one (against Manchester United, with penalties against Arsenal and Real Madrid) lasted less than ninety minutes.

As 1995 Ballon d'Or winner George Weah presented Rodri with the award, he remarked on his victory and goal-scoring prowess: "It was an incredible night for me."

"I try to improve every day, try to level up my game. I was a traditional midfielder, but realised I have to get better in the last third - assists, goals. That's why my presence has been increased.

"It's the modern holding-midfielder role. You have to be like a striker. That's the key, to level up every day.

"People don't know me much. I'm just a normal guy. I try to be a good person, a leader. I try to improve and learn every day from the best. I'm a calm person... until I get upset. I'm a normal guy."

Asked by host Didier Drogba whether he will sleep with the trophy, Rodri replied: "100% yes!"

Ballon d'Or ranking: top 10

• 1. Rodri - Manchester City and Spain
• 2. Vinicius Junior - Real Madrid and Brazil
• 3. Jude Bellingham - Real Madrid and England
• 4. Dani Carvajal - Real Madrid and Spain
• 5. Erling Haaland - Manchester City and Norway
• 6. Kylian Mbappe - Paris Saint-Germain (now Real Madrid) and France
• 7. Lautaro Martinez - Internazionale and Argentina
• 8. Lamine Yamal - Barcelona and Spain
• 9. Toni Kroos - Real Madrid and Germany (now retired)
• 10. Harry Kane - Bayern Munich and England