Rodri crowned 2024 Ballon d’Or winner after Manchester City and Spain triumphs

Manchester City and Spain’s Rodri has been crowned as the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, it has been announced.

Since first signing for the reigning Premier League champions in the summer of 2019, Rodri has established himself as arguably the most complete midfielder in world football, bringing goals and assists to his all-round defensive and possession game.

His importance to Pep Guardiola’s side was further highlighted during the 2023/24 campaign in which Manchester City won a fourth consecutive Premier League crown, with Rodri’s four games missed resulting in three defeats for the club.

In addition to yet another Premier League winners’ medal, Rodri was also crowned as Player of the Tournament at the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia just months prior, as Pep Guardiola’s side won the competition for the first time in the club’s history.

Successes under Guardiola and for the Etihad Stadium club were then carried on over into the 2024 European Championships with Luis de la Fuente and Spain, as the country went all the way to win the competition in Germany.

After group stage success, Rodri and Spain defeated all of Germany, France, and England in the knock-out stage, with victory over Gareth Southgate’s side coming in the showpiece final of the tournament in Berlin.

The Spaniard’s goalscoring ability was also showcased during the tournament as he registered a vital strike at a period of the 4-1 win over Georgia in the Round of 16, before UEFA would go on to recognise Rodri’s performance upon the culmination of the tournament.

UEFA’s team of technical observers at UEFA EURO 2024 named Rodri as their Player of the Tournament, as the Manchester City midfielder reacted at the time, “This is probably the best day of my career. We are European champions, as difficult as that is. We have become Europe’s most successful national team.

“We have made history, beating four former world champions in the process. We got through the toughest draw and it speaks for the mentality of the team.”

Having finished fifth at last year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, Rodri’s game has since reached another level throughout the course of the 2023/24 campaign, with very little in the game disagreeing with the outcome of Monday night’s award.

By winning the 2024 Ballon d’Or award on Monday 28 October, Rodri has become the first defensive midfielder to claim the prize since legendary Germany midfielder, Lothar Matthäus in 1990.

Everyone at City Xtra would like to offer our congratulations to Rodri on a well-deserved success at the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony!

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