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Numerous fans on social media have provided mixed reactions as Rodri claimed the 2024 Ballon d'Or on October 28 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Real Madrid superstars Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham stood second and third in the rankings, respectively.
The Manchester City superstar showed his class as one of the world's finest defensive midfielders last season, winning the Premier League, Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup with The Cityzens. Rodri was the key orchestrator in Pep Guardiola's midfield, controlling the pace of the game with his superior ball control and ability to beat the opposition's press.
Rodri recorded a whopping 121.1 touches per game with a passing accuracy of 92% in the 2023-24 Premier League. Additionally, he was instrumental in breaking opposition attacks, averaging 6.9 balls recovered per game in the Premier League last season.
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(The abovementioned statistics are taken from Sofascore on October 28, 2024. The website is privately owned and may change its data as per its prerogative.)
He was also a key contributor to a Spanish side that won the Euro 2024. Despite being forced off at half-time in the final, the Spaniard's performances leading to the game were enough to win him the Player of the Tournament award.
Netizens hopped on to X to comment on Rodri's iconic Ballon d'Or 2024 win. While some celebrated the victory, others were displeased with the win. Some popular reactions are as follows:
"RODRI WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO DESERVED IT," claimed a fan on X.
"Vini Jr. is robbed. I have lost my respect for this ceremony," criticized another.
"FOOTBALL WON TODAY!!!!!! VAMOS RODRI," celebrated a netizen.
Several Vinicius Jr. fans revolted on the internet because of his alleged snubbing. Reports before the ceremony hailed the Brazilian as the winner of the award. However, it was Rodri who finally got it.
"Biggest steal in history," claimed a user on X.
"This award is pathetic. vini jr losing is one of the biggest injustices they've ever had," agreed another.
One fan hailed Rodri as the most deserving winner, tweeting:
"Vinicius not winning Ballon d'Or is a blessing for football and Rodri is the deserving winner both on and off the field."
The 2024 Ballon d'Or witnesses a Premier League player getting crowned after 16 years
Rodri's Ballon d'Or win on October 28 was iconic in more ways than one. It was the first time a player from the English Premier League bagged the award in 16 years.
The last time a Premier League player won it was in 2008 when Cristiano Ronaldo claimed his first Ballon d'Or win for his heroics with a star-studded Manchester United side. That year, Ronaldo amassed 446 votes, winning the award by a margin of 165 over second-placed Lionel Messi (281). Liverpool's Fernando Torres also got a podium finish with 179 votes.
2008 also started a 10-year dominance of the award between the Portuguese and Lionel Messi, which eventually led to one of the greatest rivalries in football history. The two ended with 13 Ballons d'Or between them - the most by any two players in the history of the game. Lionel Messi won eight while Cristiano Ronaldo bagged five.
However, 2024 marked the first time in 21 years that neither Messi nor Ronaldo were on the 30-man shortlist for the award, officially marking the end of their seemingly everlasting duopoly.
