Pep Guardiola affirmed on Tuesday that Rodri deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, emphasizing that there was no “elite group” dictating the selection of the Manchester City midfielder as the world’s best footballer.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, who had secured both the La Liga and Champions League titles, was the favorite for the award. However, just hours before Monday’s ceremony in Paris, Real Madrid announced it would not send a delegation, citing a perceived snub to Vinicius.
Rodri, 28, received the prestigious trophy following his key role in Manchester City’s fourth consecutive Premier League title and Spain’s Euro 2024 victory.
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Guardiola expressed his delight at Rodri’s achievement during a press conference ahead of City’s League Cup match against Tottenham. “What can I say?” Guardiola remarked. “First, congratulations to him and his family; it’s incredible news for him and all of us.”
Rodri is currently sidelined for the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in September. Guardiola added, “We at Manchester City are incredibly proud of him. We hope this recognition gives him the energy to recover well for next season.”
Regarding Real Madrid’s boycott of the awards ceremony, despite being named men’s team of the year, Guardiola said, “It’s up to them. If they want to congratulate, that’s fine. If not, that’s fine.
Last season, Erling (Haaland) won the treble and scored more than 50 goals. I told him he should be so, so happy, and I said the same to Rodri. Should Erling have won? Yes. Should (eventual winner Lionel) Messi have won? Yes. It doesn’t matter. Should it be Vinicius? Maybe. It’s not an elite group; it’s journalists who vote.”
Guardiola pointed out that Spanish football has achieved remarkable success over the past decade, winning a World Cup and European Championships, yet Spanish players have struggled to secure the Ballon d’Or during that time.
The winners of the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or are selected from a shortlist by an international jury of 100 specialized journalists.
The organizers, the Amaury group, which owns the L’Equipe sports daily and France Football magazine, confirmed that “no player or club” had prior knowledge of the winners.
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