Ballon d’Or: Man City’s Rodri wins 2024 men’s award

Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri receives the Ballon d’Or award during the 2024 Ballon d’Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024. (Photograph: FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has emerged the winner of this year’s Ballon d’Or award, beating competition from Real Madrid trio of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Dani Carvajal.

The Spanish international becomes the second Premier League Player to win the coveted award in 16 years since Cristiano Ronaldo won it in 2008.

It was a trophy-laden season for Rodri, lifting the Premier League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup with City, as well as Euro 2024 with Spain.

Since Luka Modric won the award in 2018, Rodri is the first midfielder to win it. Lionel Messi has won three of the prizes since then, with Karim Benzema winning one.

The award did not hold in 2020 because of COVID-19, denying Robert Lewandowski the chance to win the trophy.