7th February 2025
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Spain’s Rodri and Bonmatí win Ballon d’Or awards as Real Madrid snub ceremony

Spanish midfielders Rodri (Rodrigo Hernández) and Aitana Bonmatí (main image) won the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or award on Monday as the world’s best football players, while Real Madrid snubbed the star-studded ceremony in Paris in apparent protest.

The 28-year-old Rodri won the prestigious award for the first time after helping Manchester City win the Premier League and being a key player in Spain’s European Championship triumph. ALSO READ: Spain beat England 2-1 to win Euro 2024.

He succeeded eight-time winner Lionel Messi of Argentina and beat Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior into second place, a result which greatly annoyed the Spanish club. Madrid and its players stayed away from the ceremony, then vented their feelings on social media. ALSO READ: Bonmatí wins her first Ballon d’Or, as Messi wins record-extending eighth.

Rodri showed his emotion when his name was read out by former winner George Weah, putting his hands over his face.

‘Incredible night for me,’ said Rodri, who is out for the season after injuring his ACL last month and arrived on crutches to the ceremony. ‘One of my key things is I always try to improve every game.’

Known as a hard-working and unselfish player despite his abilities, Rodri was quick to deflect praise onto others.

‘I just want to say thank you again to the people who recognise my value in the game,’ he said. ‘When I was a kid I never thought of winning the Ballon d’Or, but in the last years I’ve been playing the highest level.’

While Rodri is not a prolific scorer like Messi and Ronaldo, he has had a huge influence on Manchester City with his ability to protect the defence and distribute passes cleanly from the back.

City looked unbeatable at times with him in the side, while his excellent technical ability enabled him to slot smoothly into the quick-passing style made so effective by Spain at Euro 2024. He is the first City player to win the award.

‘He is a player completely without ego, whose performance level over a very long period of time has been exceptional,’ City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain said. ‘The consistency he has shown is the result of hard work and dedication.’

The 26-year-old Bonmatí retained her award after helping Barcelona win the Spanish league, the Spanish cup and the Champions League. Bonmatí joined Barca teammate Alexia Putellas in winning two titles since the women’s trophy was first awarded in 2018. She beat her teammates Caroline Graham Hansen of Norway and Salma Paralluelo of Spain as Barcelona completed a 1-2-3.

Bonmatí scored 19 goals for the second straight season for Barça and this year has netted five in five games for Spain, taking her international tally to 26.

‘It’s a pleasure to be here again,’ she said, receiving the award from Oscar winner Natalie Portman. ‘Thanks to my teammates and the clubs who make me a better football player every year.’

Even though attacking midfielder Jude Bellingham was third and Dani Carvajal finished fourth in the voting, and coach Carlo Ancelotti won the coach of the year award, no one from Real Madrid attended the gala in Paris.

Ancelotti posted a message on X instead, as did Vinícius, who was considered by many to be the favourite for the award, even though Rodri also had an outstanding season.

On a good night for Spain and Barça players, teen prodigy Lamine Yamal — the youngest-ever scorer at a European Championship — won the Kopa Award for best Under-21 player and Barça won the best women’s team award. Absent Real Madrid was voted the best men’s team.

The Ballon d’Or was created by France Football magazine and has been awarded since 1956 for the men, and since 2018 for the women. It is voted for by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings.

Each journalist, one per country, selects 10 players in ranked order, with points attributed to each position. The winner is the player who receives the most points. Unlike FIFA’s awards for the best players each year, fans aren’t part of the voting system.

ALSO READ: Spain’s Rodri and Morata banned for singing ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’ at Euro celebrations.

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