Spain midfielder Rodri becomes first Manchester City player to win Ballon d'Or, says 'I am just a normal guy'

After a long wait of nearly six and a half decades, midfielder Rodri became first Spanish footballer to win Ballon d'Or.

Sports Tak

• Tue • 29 Oct 2024

Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmati (L) and Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri pose with their Ballon d'Or award during the 2024 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024.

Aitana Bonmati, Rodri

Highlights:

Spain's Aita Bonmati won the Ballon d'Or Feminin.

Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe won the Gerd Muller Trophy.

Spain midfielder on October scripted history as he became the first Manchester City footballer to win Ballon d'Or. Rodri pipped Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham to get the highest individual award in football.

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"I understand that because I have no social media, people don't know me much. I am just a normal guy. I enjoy the sport, I enjoy my profession. And I try to be a good person. I am a very calm person."

Playing under Pep Guardiola, Rodri was part of Manchester City’s fourth consecutive English Premier League (EPL) title win. He scored eight goals and had nine assists in the previous edition of EPL.

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The 28-year-old is the first midfielder since Croatia's Luka Modric to win the Ballon d'Or title.

Rodri is also the second male footballer born in Spain to win the prize. The last Spanish footballer to win Ballon d’Or was Barcelona’s Luis Suarez in 1960.

"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. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder," Rodri said on stage at the ceremony.

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"Today many friends have written to me and have told me that football has won, for giving visibility to so many midfielders who have a job in the shadows and today it is coming to light."

Bonmati wins again

Meanwhile, another Spanish footballer won the Ballon d'Or Feminin. Aita Bonmati won the Ballon d'Or for the second consecutive time.

"I think that there is nothing like the first time but it’s true that I’m so thankful for being back here, what we do isn’t easy," the Barcelona star said after winning the award. "I’m so grateful for being back here.

"In the end, I’m part of a group effort and I’m surrounded by wonderful players and my national team and I am thankful because without them I wouldn’t be the footballer I am."

List of other award winners –

Kopa Trophy: Lamine Yamal
Men's Coach of the Year: Carlo Ancelotti
Women's Coach of the Year: Emma Hayes
Yashin Trophy: Emiliano Martinez
Men's Club of the Year: Real Madrid
Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Gerd Muller Trophy: Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe