"I would not have acted the same way" - Rodri makes feelings clear about Real Madrid boycotting Ballon d'Or gala due to Vinicius snub

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has made his feelings clear about Real Madrid's decision to boycott the Ballon d'Or gala. Notably, Los Blancos decided not to send any delegates to the award night after they learned that Vinicius Jr would not win the coveted Golden Ball.

Carlo Ancelotti won the Best Men's Coach of the Year, while Real Madrid won the Best Men's Team of the Year, thanks to their brilliance last season. They clinched La Liga, the Supercopa de Espana, and the UEFA Champions League in a season where they seemed unbeatable at times.

Vinicius Jr was a massive part of their successes, and because of this, he was widely expected to win the Ballon d'Or. The award was handed to Rodri, instead, after the midfielder's talismanic performances for Manchester City and Spain. He won the Premier League with the club, while helping his country win Euro 2024.

Rodri spoke about the Ballon d'Or in an interview with France Football and seemed to take a dig at Real Madrid's decision to boycott the event.

"Knowing how to win but also knowing how to lose is important," he said. "And then, this year, with my injury and the rehabilitation, this event was like a breath of fresh air. So when I made the decision to come it was above all to enjoy this superb evening."

When asked about the boycott, he added:

"What do you want me to tell you? That I would have preferred everyone to be there? Of course, I did. The second, third, fourth, etc. were all missing… [but] I have to respect everyone's decision. Even if I would not have acted the same way."

Rodri is currently out injured for the rest of the season, which means Manchester City will have to chase after trophies without his expertise on the pitch. It also means he is unlikely to retain the Golden Ball in next year's gala.

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Ballon d'Or votes reveal how Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr missed out on award

Rodri was the eventual winner of the 2024 Ballon d'Or, but he and Vinicius Jr - who finished in second place, were separated by just 41 points (via Daily Mail). Rodri won a total of 1,170 votes to become only the second defensive midfielder to take the Golden Ball home after Lothar Matthaus in 1990. Vinicius finished with 1,129 points.

The point gap of 41 may seem small, but Lionel Messi notably beat Virgil van Dijk in 2019 with a mere seven points. The votes are submitted by journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries, with each journalist picking their top five from a list of 30 nominated players.

Vinicius Jr took to social media afterwards, promising to work ten times harder. His Real Madrid manager and some of his teammates also hailed the Brazilian winger, with former teammate Karim Benzema calling him the best in the world.