Paris’ Place du Chatelet came to a standstill for the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday night, but the bicycles kept coming.
Real Madrid‘s Vinicius Junior must have felt like one had ploughed him down a few hours earlier on a day which the Brazilian had started as the world’s best in waiting and ended it as somebody who couldn’t be bothered to show up to the glitziest evening in the football calendar.
‘Class and fair play’ is one of the three voting criteria for the gong which was instead won by Rodri, becoming Manchester City‘s first winner and the only Premier League player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 to collect the prestigious award.
Class would have seen Vinicius show up regardless of the result. Erling Haaland managed it this time last year, even when it became clear the 2023 edition would be yet another parade for Lionel Messi.
As Haaland would have been last year, Rodri is a truly worthy winner. His case was endorsed by Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, Fabio Capello and — most tellingly – Toni Kroos.
Manchester City and Spain defensive midfielder Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or on Monday
Rodri topped the vote for the men’s award ahead of Real Madrid and Brazil ace Vinicius Junior
Rodri pictured alongside women’s winner Aitana Bonmati (left) at Monday’s ceremony in Paris
City team-mate Rico Lewis said it’d be a ‘no-brainer’ if Rodri picked the golden ball up.
Even Pep Guardiola, who shies away from any individualism, ultimately conceded the 28-year-old ought to take it.
But Vinicius was the hot favourite and this was somewhat of a surprise. The fact the Brazilian knew the result in advance was almost as big a shock.
France Football, who run the sport’s Oscars — with the red carpet more of an event than the event itself — had attempted to keep the names of winners and losers as tight as possible.
The winner, usually Ronaldo and Messi over the last 15 years of course, knew well in advance. And if you didn’t know well in advance you know it wasn’t to be.
But they wanted to keep the suspense going — so much so that Ruud Gullit was still picking Vinicius as he headed in an hour before the start. Leaked results were by no way as prevalent, despite predictions in the Spanish press over the past week, and the news of Real Madrid’s snub as a club emerged mid-afternoon.
Real Madrid said in a statement: ‘If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner. As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.’
But perhaps this marks a changing of the guard at the elite level, where men like Rodri are seen as just as important as the superstars who grab the headlines.
The words: ‘Rodri, welcome to the legend’ decorated the stage after he received his award
Rodri played 34 Premier League games last season to help City win a fourth straight title
He then played a starring role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph in Germany over the summer
Defensive midfielders have always run games but not in a way Rodri runs games. He’s a trailblazer in that nobody of his ilk has done this before. Probably a good job that Alejandro Garnacho didn’t catch the flight.
Rodri has lost one club match in 18 months, last season’s FA Cup final, and took home a European Championship with Spain after winning a fourth straight league title.
He doesn’t do individuality, which makes his individual brilliance all the more remarkable.
