A new era is underway in soccer and a new player has taken the top spot as the best player in the world.
Manchester City defensive midfielder Rodri was presented with the Ballon d’Or at the annual ceremony in Paris on Monday. The award recognizes the player deemed to have been the best in the sport over the previous season.
His win marks the first time since 2006, when Real Madrid’s Fabio Cannavaro won, that a defensive-focused player was given the award. The last time a defensive midfielder won was in 1996 with Dortmund’s Matthias Sammer.
On the women’s side, Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati took home the Ballon d’Or Féminin. This is the second consecutive year that the Spanish midfielder takes home the prestigious award.
Rodri had an exemplary year for both club and country, tallying 12 goals and 13 assists from his deep-lying midfield position. His individual success led to team success, as he helped Manchester City collect their fourth-consecutive Premier League title and lifted Spain to a win at the European Championship.
The 28-year-old was named Player of the Tournament at the Euros and earned a spot on the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Team of the Year in the Premier League.
The Madrid native beat out Real Madrid players Vinícius Junior and Jude Bellingham for the award.
The two Madridistas, along with the extended delegation from Read Madrid, opted not to attend the award ceremony Monday after learning of the perceived snub, insider Fabrizio Romano reported.
“If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinícius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to (Dani) Carvajal as the winner,” Real Madrid told Agence France-Presse. “As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
On the women’s side, much like on the men’s side, the competition seemed to be a two-horse race between teammates Bonmati and Caroline Graham Hansen.
The duo’s Barcelona side was dominant in domestic and European competition this season, as the Blaugrana took home their second-straight Champions League title, dispatching Lyon 2-0 in the final.
Bonmati, 26, won player of the match for the final after scoring the winning goal in the 63rd minute and was named the player of the season for the UWCL. She had six goals and six assists in the UWCL to go along with eight goals and 11 assists in Liga F, Spain’s top league.
Barcelona also took home the Liga F title for the fifth consecutive season in 2023-24.
Elsewhere at the award ceremony:
• Real Madrid was named the Men’s Club of the Year at the event.
• Barcelona’s 17-year-old phenom Lamine Yamal took home the Kopa award for the top player worldwide under the age of 21.
• Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé won the Gerd Müller Trophy for best goalscorer.
• Aston Villa and Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez won the Yashin Trophy as best goalkeeper.
• Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was named Manager of the Year.
