Manchester City’s Rodrigo Hernández, known as Rodri, was awarded the prestigious Ballon d’Or award by France Football at a ceremony held in Paris on Monday night.
The Spanish midfielder was crowned the world’s best footballer for his brilliant 2023-24 season with Man City and Spain, but his victory was seen as controversial and underserved by many. Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior was the favourite to win the award, and everyone, including the player, his teammates, and the club officials, expected to see the Brazilian lift the award on Monday. However, a couple of hours before the ceremony, it was leaked that Rodri had won the Ballon d’Or, not Vinicius Junior.
Real Madrid was in utter shock and decided to call off their trip to Paris to support their number seven. The club believed Vinicius was the rightful award winner, and if international success was being considered, Daniel Carvajal should be getting the award. Many fans agreed with this and felt the Brazilian was robbed of the Ballon d’Or. However, while it is unfortunate that Vinicius did not win the award, it is ludicrous to say that Rodri didn’t deserve it.
Rodri is the best midfielder in the world
Pep Guardiola has termed Rodri the “best midfielder in the world by far,” and no one can really dispute that. The holding midfielder is crucial to how Man City function, with his excellence in both defensive and creative abilities making him City’s most important player on the pitch. Rodri is one of the most press-resistant players in the world, and his ability to progress the ball up the pitch under pressure keeps City ticking. He dictates the pace of every game and is involved in the majority of the team’s attacking moves. Additionally, his ability to win the ball back allows Guardiola not to worry about pairing him with a defensive-minded midfielder.
Moving on to his 2023-24 season, Rodri was integral in City’s Premier League win. Despite being a defensive midfielder, the Spaniard racked up 17 goal contributions, with many of his nine goals coming at crucial times. The 28-year-old also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup (in which he was awarded the Golden Ball) with City. Perhaps most importantly, Rodri won the 2024 Euros with Spain and was awarded the player of the tournament.
Vinicius Junior had an excellent season, too, and can be considered unlucky to miss out on the award. However, the manner in which Real Madrid and the Brazilian reacted was disrespectful and unnecessary. Rodri has always been considered underrated, with attackers usually getting all the glamour in football. The Spaniard fully merits the Ballon d’Or and finally gets the attention and recognition he deserves.
