Man City star Rodri wins Ballon d’Or and makes Yamal claim, as Real Madrid boycott explained

Spain and Manchester City star Rodri has won the men’s Ballon d’Or for the first time, in a ceremony that was boycotted by Real Madrid.

The 28-year-old was awarded the Golden Ball in Paris on Monday after helping City win the Premier League last season, along with guiding Spain to Euro 2024 glory this summer.

Rodri, who lost just one game last season for club and country, edged out Madrid trio Vinicius Junior (second), Jude Bellingham (third), and Dani Carvajal (fourth) to claim the top prize.

On winning the award, the midfielder – who is out for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury – said: “Thanks for this. It’s a special day for me and all those close to me. One day told my father: stop, I leave football, my dream is over. But he told me… no, keep going, let’s try until the end.”

Elsewhere, Barcelona and Spain ace Aitana Bonmati won the Ballon d’Or Feminin for the second successive year, Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez won the Yashin Trophy (the world’s best goalkeeper award) for the second running, and Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player.

Rodri added: “Lamine Yamal will win the Ballon d’Or very soon, I’m convinced of it. Keep it up, keep working hard, you’ll get there.”

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The winners in full

Elsewhere, former Chelsea boss and current United States women’s national soccer team manager Emma Hayes scooped up the women’s coach of the year gong and Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti won the men’s coach of the year prize.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane and Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe shared the Gerd Muller Trophy as they topped the goalscoring charts with 52 goals in all competitions last season.

Madrid were named the men’s club of the year after winning La Liga and the Champions League last season, and Barcelona triumphed in the women’s section after winning a record-breaking quadruple last term.

Spain star Jenni Hermoso won the 2024 Socrates Award for her work against sexual abuse, following ex-Spanish Federation President Luis Rubiales kissing her on the lips without her consent.

• Men’s Ballon d’Or: Rodri
• Ballon d’Or Feminin: Aitana Bonmati
• Kopa Trophy (Under-21): Lamine Yamal
• Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper): Emiliano Martinez
• Gerd Muller Trophy (best goalscorer): Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe
• Men’s coach of the year: Carlo Ancelotti
• Women’s coach of the year: Emma Hayes
• Men’s team of the year: Real Madrid
• Women’s team of the year: Barcelona
• Socrates Award (best humanitarian work): Jenni Hermoso

Real Madrid boycott ceremony

Madrid released an angry statement before the Ballon d’Or ceremony after learning that Vinicius Jr was not going to claim the top men’s prize.

As a result, Los Blancos boycotted the event in Paris, with the club claiming UEFA does not respect the Spanish giants and if Vinicius wasn’t to win the Ballon d’Or, team-mate Carvajal should have.

They told AFP: “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.”

Despite picking up a host of awards at the ceremony, no Madrid representatives were present at the Théâtre du Châtelet. 

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