Manchester Metropolis’s midfield dynamo, Rodri, grabbed the coveted Ballon d’Or award, changing into the primary Premier League participant since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 to win it. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati snagged the ladies’s Ballon d’Or for the second 12 months in a row, and this 12 months’s ceremony had its justifiable share of drama—Actual Madrid’s delegation was noticeably absent, selecting to boycott after studying Vinicius Jr. wouldn’t take residence the trophy.
HERE IS THE 2024 BALLON D’OR RANKING! #ballondor @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/3aPyAe5yAr
— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) October 28, 2024
Rodri’s Journey to Ballon d’Or Glory
Rodri’s street to the Ballon d’Or is a narrative of grit, perseverance, and a contact of magnificence. Regardless of a extreme ACL damage towards Arsenal in September, his affect over the 2023-24 season was plain. He claimed a fourth Premier League title with Manchester Metropolis and lifted the Euro 2024 trophy with Spain. Including to the accolades, he was topped Finest Participant of the Euro match, regardless of having to go away the ultimate recreation early attributable to damage.
Probably the most placing stats? Rodri went 74 video games unbeaten throughout membership and nationwide matches, a run that solely resulted in final season’s FA Cup remaining towards Manchester United. Not dangerous for a defensive midfielder, proper?
Aitana Bonmati’s Dominance Continues
For the ladies’s award, Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati stood tall. She didn’t simply win; she dominated. Bonmati shone in each Spain’s La Liga F and the Girls’s Champions League, serving to Barcelona clinch their third title in 4 years. This back-to-back Ballon d’Or Feminin win underscores her place among the many world’s greatest in ladies’s soccer.
In the meantime, fellow Barcelona gamers Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo rounded out the highest three, additional solidifying the membership’s maintain on the ladies’s recreation.
Actual Madrid’s Absence and Vinicius Jr.’s Response
Actual Madrid’s absence was loud. With their gamers handed over for the highest spot, the membership opted to not attend the Paris ceremony. Vinicius Jr. later posted, “I’ll do it 10 instances if I’ve to. They’re not prepared.” Although Actual Madrid was named males’s membership of the 12 months, they made it clear they felt ignored.
Different Highlights of the Evening
Alongside Rodri and Bonmati, the ceremony spotlighted a number of stars:
Kopa Trophy: Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal bagged this under-21 award after his stellar performances, together with changing into the youngest goalscorer in European Championship historical past.
Yashin Trophy: Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez, enjoying for Aston Villa, was once more named the world’s greatest goalkeeper. His Copa America performances and constant showings for Villa earned him this honor.
Whereas Rodri’s win was groundbreaking as the primary defensive midfielder since 1956 to safe the Ballon d’Or, the night highlighted each new and enduring legacies in soccer.
