“For football, this would be an interesting change" - Manchester City star Rodri wants defensive players to win Ballon d'Or in the future

Ballon d'Or is the greatest individual award that football players can win in their respective careers. Strikers and attacking midfielders are the ones that usually win this award, but Manchester City defensive midfielder Rodri wants this to change going forward.

Rodri, who has excelled at his role with the Cityzens, believes that defensive players should be seriously considered for the Ballon d'Or award. He said that it would be an 'interesting change' if it happens.

"We all dream of it. I would love it if a defensive midfielder like me could win it, it would mean a lot. For football, this would be an interesting change. But I am enjoying my ranking. I can say that I am the fifth-best player in the world," Rodri said in an interview with France Football, via GetFootballNews.

The last time a defensive player won the Ballon d'Or was 18 years ago when Fabio Cannavaro claimed the award. Before that, Matthias Sammer was the last defender to win it in 1996.

For his part, Rodri has been playing great for the Cityzens with 37 appearances across all competitions so far this season. He has seven goals and 11 assists.

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Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland frontrunners for the 2024 Ballon d'Or award

As we are heading into the season finale, several players have emerged as candidates to win the Ballon d'Or award for the 2023-24 season. Still, three top strikers remain frontrunners to win the prestigious award.

Erling Haaland has 32 goals and six assists for a Manchester City team that has already won the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. Manchester City are the favorites to win both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. If Haaland continues to score at the same rate, he will have a great opportunity to win his first Ballon d'Or.

Kylian Mbappe is another top candidate for the award. He has 44 goals and 14 assists across all competitions, with PSG being the grand favorites to claim the Ligue 1 title.

Mbappe, who is set to leave after the end of the season, wants to lead his team to the Champions League title. They will face Barcelona in the quarter-finals. He will then head to Germany for the UEFA Euro 2024 with France, who are one of the favorites for the tournament.

Last but not least, Jude Bellingham is in the race with 21 goals and 12 assists for a Real Madrid team that is on top of La Liga standings. Bellingham and the Merengues will take on Haaland and Manchester City in April for a spot in the Champions League semi-finals.