2024 Ballon d'Or Winner Rodri Addresses Absent Real Madrid Star Amid Ceremony Boycott
Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d'Or after his stellar 2023-24 season, a night Real Madrid snubbed the event after learning Vinicius Jr had been beaten for the award.
Manchester City star Rodri celebrated his Ballon d'Or win in style with a nod to Dani Carvajal - on a night friends of his Spanish teammates at Real Madrid boycotted the awards in Paris.
Rodri, 28, won the top prize after helping Spain win the European Championship and lift the Premier League trophy for a fourth consecutive season with City.
Rodri, who took to the stage on crutches after taking to the stage after missing the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, immediately said: "I have so many people to thank" before naming a few, including his girlfriend Laura. , his family and his Manchester City teammates, of whom he said: "I know I wouldn't be here without you."
He continued: "I want to thank the selection and Luis (de la Fuente) for trusting me for so long. Liga and La Liga last season.
He said: "Carvajal, you must be here with me."
Instead, the veteran defender, who scored the Whites' first goal in last season's Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, returned to Madrid on rest after undergoing surgery for a series of knee injuries. But the evening for Rodri, who said it was "not only a victory for me but for Spanish football", was somewhat overshadowed by the decision of the Santiago Bernabeu, led by President Florentino Perez, not to embark on a private jet to Paris at the last minute. and stayed in the Spanish capital after learning that Vinicius Jr had been beaten in the prize.
Real, led by Perez, the players' representatives and the Madrid press have thrown their support behind a big campaign to win the prize for Vinicius Jr in recent months. They even went so far as to refuse to answer questions about Jude Bellingham - who finished third - as a possible winner, during the match to make the Brazilian the latest in a long line of winners while wearing the immaculate white shirt club.
Indeed, Vinicius would have deserved the award too, such has been the 24-year-old's incredible level of performance over the past 12 months. But, like a child throwing a tantrum, it was decided that all club members would boycott the events after learning in advance that he had not won.
Real said in a statement: "If the award criteria did not award Vinicius as the winner, then the same criteria would nominate Carvajal as the winner. Since this is not the case, it is clear that the Ballon d'Or does not respect Real Madrid and Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.
Rodri's triumph allowed him to become the first Spaniard to win the prize in 64 years. Within seconds, Real Madrid players criticized the decision on social media, denouncing "football politics", while Vinicius Jr said on social media: "I will do it 10 times if I have to". They are not ready. »
In a night of joy for Rodri, Real's ugly game left a bitter aftertaste.
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