Rodri’s win at the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday night stirred anger among Real Madrid officials, but one of their players was genuinely happy for him.
The Manchester City midfielder unexpectedly edged out favorite Vinicius Junior for the award in Paris, following his instrumental role in City’s fourth consecutive Premier League title and Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph. However, the decision, which is determined by a global panel of journalists, was poorly received in Madrid. In protest, Real Madrid representatives, including manager Carlo Ancelotti, club president Florentino Perez, and nominated players Vinicius, Kylian Mbappe, Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham, Antonio Rudiger, and Fede Valverde, chose not to attend the event.
Real Madrid voiced their discontent to AFP, stating, “If the award criteria didn’t choose Vinicius, then Carvajal should have been the winner. Since that wasn’t the case, it’s evident that Ballon d’Or-UEFA doesn’t respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid doesn’t attend where it’s not respected.”
Despite the tension, Rodri graciously accepted the award, dedicating his success to his family and teammates and even mentioning Carvajal by name. Later, he told Movistar Plus+ that Carvajal had already congratulated him on his victory: “Dani Carvajal called me, very happy for me. I wanted to mention him because he deserved it too. He shares my values of teamwork, loyalty to a club, and giving everything on the field.”
Carvajal, who finished fourth in the rankings, joined his teammates Vinicius and Bellingham, who came in second and third, respectively. Like Rodri, Carvajal is also facing a lengthy recovery after sustaining a serious knee injury earlier in the season.
While disappointed, Carvajal may have been touched by Rodri’s words at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. Rodri expressed his gratitude, saying, “I wouldn’t be here without Manchester City. They’re the best club in the world. I also thank the national team and Luis [de la Fuente] for their trust. To my teammates from the Euros, including Carvajal – he should’ve been here with me. Lamine [Yamal], I know you’ll win this award soon.”
Rodri concluded, “This is more than a personal victory; it’s a victory for Spanish football. So many players who never won this award but deserved it—this win is for Spanish football.”
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