Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Golden Ball for the world’s best player on Monday, beating Brazilian Vinicius Jr and England’s Jude Bellingham, both of Real Madrid, for the prestigious award.

Rodri, a first-time winner of the award, was instrumental in helping his side win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League trophy last season. He was also named the best player at this year’s European Championship after Spain won a record fourth title.

The 28-year-old from Madrid is the first defensive midfielder to win the Ballon d’Or since Lothar Matthaus in 1990 and the third Spaniard to win this award after Alfredo Di Stefano (1957 and 1959) and Luis Suarez (1960).

Although the prize was dominated by Spanish league players, no Spaniard had won since Barcelona great Luis Suarez more than 60 years ago, despite Spain’s “golden generation” winning the 2010 World Cup, Euro 2008 and 2012.

But Rodri, the player whom City coach Pep Guardiola called “the best midfielder in the world”, ultimately ended that streak with a unique skill set that made his club the dominant force in England and helped Spain rule Europe again.

“Today it’s not a victory for me, it’s for Spanish football, for so many players who didn’t win it and who deserved it, like (Andres) Iniesta, Xavi (Hernandez ), Iker (Casillas), Sergio Busquets, so many others It’s for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder,” Rodri said on stage during the ceremony.

“Today many friends wrote to me and told me that football had won, for having given visibility to so many midfielders who work in the shadows and that today it reveals itself.

“I’m a regular guy with values, who studies, who tries to do things well and doesn’t try to follow stereotypes and despite that, I was able to get to the top, and it’s thanks to all of you. “

NO MESSI OR RONALDO

Rodri became the third person without Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award since 2008. It was the first time since 2003 that neither Messi nor Ronaldo made the final list of 30 nominees.

Portugal’s Ronaldo, who has won the award five times and was the last Premier League player to win it in 2008, also failed to receive a nomination last year after moving to Saudi Arabia. Messi, who won for a record eighth time in 2023, missed his match despite Argentina’s Copa America triumph.

Rodri has lost just one game in the last 18 months – City’s surprise FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United last season.

Earlier, Rodri’s national teammate Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player as he helped Spain achieve a perfect Euro 2024 campaign, winning all seven matches en route to lifting the trophy.

Bonmati won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the second year in a row while her compatriot Jennifer Hermoso received the Socrates Prize for her role in fighting for women’s rights in football and her courageous stance against sexism in sport.

Real Madrid had decided to boycott the ceremony in anticipation that Vinicius would not win the men’s award.

No one from the club was present when they won the Men’s Club of the Year award, and their manager Carlo Ancelotti was named Men’s Coach of the Year while Barcelona took home the Best Women’s Club trophy after the two teams won the double of the European and Spanish championships. last season.