Rodri talks, Real Madrid, Carvajal, Vinicius, Ballon d’Or – ‘I wouldn’t have acted the same way’

Recently crowned Ballon d’Or winner Rodri shared his thoughts on what it felt like to be named the best footballer of the past year, especially considering he was up against strong contenders from Real Madrid such as Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal.

Rodri, who is currently sidelined with a torn cruciate ligament in his right knee, admitted that he was initially in disbelief when, during the trophy presentation, a portion of the crowd began chanting “Vinicius, Vinicius!”

Despite this, he noted that he felt a great deal of respect from the audience as they later stood up to applaud him.

“I felt a bit of disbelief when, at the time of the presentation of the trophy, half the room shouted ‘Vinicius, Vinicius!’. In any case, there was a lot of respect for me from the audience because afterwards they all stood up and applauded me,” he told COPE.

Rodri’s thoughts on Real Madrid’s snub

When asked about Real Madrid’s decision to skip the Ballon d’Or ceremony after hearing that Vinicius would not be receiving the award, Rodri explained that he was not bothered by their absence.

For him, the event was about celebrating his achievement with his family, and he wasn’t focused on those who weren’t there.

“It didn’t hurt me that they weren’t present. I have to respect everyone’s decision, although I wouldn’t have acted the same way. But they do what they want .” he said.

In his view, the Ballon d’Or recognized consistency, which he believes is the most challenging aspect of football.

He humbly stated that while he did not feel it was for him to decide whether he truly deserved the award, he felt that his 2023 season at Manchester City had been strong enough to put him in contention.

“It has rewarded consistency, which is the most difficult thing in football. I am not the one to say whether I deserved this award or not. In 2023 I thought I could win it for my great season at City and this year I think I did even better.”

Carvajal over Vinicius

If he had the opportunity to vote, Rodri revealed that “I would have chosen Carvajal second and Vinicius third.”

Regarding congratulations, he mentioned that former Real Madrid players such as Nacho and Joselu had reached out to him, but he was not particularly concerned about Vinicius not offering his well-wishes.

“Did I receive any congratulations from Madrid? There were some from former players of this club like Nacho and Joselu, with whom I shared a dressing room,”

For Rodri, the support from his family and his club was what mattered most, and he made it clear that he wouldn’t have handled the situation the way Real Madrid did. Ultimately, he believes there is no need to dwell on the matter any further.

“I didn’t miss Vinicius not congratulating me. I care about my people, my family and my club. I wouldn’t have done what Real Madrid did by not showing up to the gala, but there’s no point in thinking about it any more,” he noted.

Lastly, Rodri also addressed the video that went viral on social media where he was seen taking a jibe at Vinicius. Explaining the incident, he only said, “People have to understand that healthy sportsmanship.

“In the end, it’s a private party, a moment when you’re not thinking about anything else,” he noted.