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Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan congratulated his teammate Rodri after he won the 2024 Ballon d'Or. The coveted award was given on October 28 in Paris, marking the Spaniard's first win.
Rodri had a stellar 2023-24 campaign with Manchester City, lifting the Premier League and the UEFA Super Cup with the club. He recorded nine goals and 14 assists in 50 outings across competitions for the English side. The midfielder was key to Spain's victory in the 2024 Euros and was named Player of the Tournament.
After his win, Ilkay Gundogan took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate his teammate, writing:
"From today on he is finally not 'underrated' anymore 😜 Congratulations to my teammate Rodri on winning the Ballon d'Or! For me this is very well deserved! I'm especially happy that someone on a defensive position is winning this title and not always just the offensive players!"
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Gundogan added:
"Rodri is the perfect midfielder and there's no one that plays his position better than he does - there are so many clubs in Europe that are looking for a world class holding midfielder, but in the end there's only him! What a development in recent years!"
Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri have shared the pitch in 153 games for Manchester City, recording one joint-goal contribution. The duo played together for City between 2019 and 2023, winning one Champions League title and three Premier League titles together among other honors.
Gundogan left Man City to join Barcelona in 2023, but returned to his former club in 2024.
Rodri backs Barcelona star Lamine Yamal to win Ballon d'Or in future
Manchester City star Rodri backed compatriot Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d'Or in the future. He said during his victory speech:
“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."
Rodri added:
"There was only one player who told me I would win the Ballon D'Or tonight....that was you Lamine."
Lamine Yamal has experienced a stellar rise following his performances for Barcelona and Spain. The 17-year-old ranked eighth in the golden ball rankings tonight, alongside winning the Kopa Trophy. Yamal recorded seven goals and nine assists in 50 appearances for La Blaugrana last season, but did not win any silverware with the club. He was also key to Spain's victory in the 2024 Euros, scoring the first goal in their 2-1 win over France in the semifinal.
The Spaniard rose from the ranks of Barcelona's famed academy, La Masia and made his senior team debut in a LaLiga game in April 2023. In the current season, Yamal has recorded six goals and seven assists in 14 outings for Barcelona across competitions.
