Rodri claims Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo did not congratulate him on winning the Ballon d'Or 

2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri has claimed that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo congratulated him for winning the award. The Manchester City midfielder won the award at the expense of the Real Madrid duo Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham, who finished in second and third, respectively.

The midfielder was outstanding for the reigning English champions last season, making 50 appearances and scoring nine goals while setting up 14 from defensive midfield. He also played a starring role as Spain won Euro 2024 in Germany.

Speaking in a recent interview with Diario AS, the Spaniard revealed that he wasn't congratulated for his win by the previous winners of the award, saying (via MadridXtra):

"Messages from previous Ballon d'Or winners? Let me check... There are none from Messi, Cristiano, Modrić or Benzema (laughs)."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two most successful players in the award's history. The pair have won 13 Ballon d'Or awards between them, all in the last 16 editions of the award.

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2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri picks between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Rodri picked between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in a recent interview. The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner became the third player in nearly two decades besides the legendary pair to claim the prize.

The pair have claimed the prize 13 times and have scored over 1500 goals between them throughout their legendary careers. They are believed to be the two greatest footballers in the history of the sport and when asked who he would pick between them, the Spaniard told France Football (via SportBible):

"When I look at the amazing list of Ballon d'Or winners, I have to talk about Messi. He's won eight times and honestly I don't know if he even realises it. He's the best player in history."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are currently in the twilight of their legendary careers at 39 and 37 years old, respectively. The debates over who is the greater player between the duo are unlikely to come to an end when they hang up their boots, with both players still commanding the loyalty of millions of fans across the world.