Manchester City midfielder Rodri, whose full name is Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, expressed confusion over Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments questioning his selection as the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or recipient, suggested that Vinícius Júnior should have won the award instead of Rodri, citing the Real Madrid forward’s Champions League victory and goal in the final as key reasons for his deserving the prize.
Asked about Ronaldo’s comments, Rodri told Diario AS, “A surprise, really, because he knows better than anyone how this award works and, above all, how the winner is chosen.
“This year, the journalists who voted have considered that I should win it. Probably, these same journalists were the ones who at some point voted for him to win, and I imagine that then he would agree.”
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Real Madrid chose to boycott the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris this past October after Rodri was named the winner, surpassing Vinícius.
Rodri, 28, claimed the prestigious award following an outstanding season in which he helped Manchester City secure the Premier League title and won the European Championship with Spain.
Vinícius, who had been one of the top contenders for the honor, played a key role in Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League double last season.
However, the Brazilian forward later won FIFA’s Best Men’s Player award and was named Globe Soccer’s Best Men’s Player on December 30.
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