Ballon d’Or 2024: Rodri Pips Favorite Vinicius Jr. to the Men’s Trophy; Real Madrid Star Vows to Bounce Back

Manchester City maestro Rodri lifted the most prestigious accolade in soccer, the Ballon d’Or, at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris on Monday, October 28. Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr., who was the overwhelming favorite to win the award, finished second. Real Madrid pair Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal occupied the third and fourth positions.

Shock in Paris: Rodri Beats Vinicius Jr. to the 2024 Ballon d’Or

Vinicius Jr. Was the Favorite to Win the 2024 Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid left-winger Vinicius Jr. enjoyed an explosive season in 2023-24. With Karim Benzema gone, Vinicius Jr. emerged as a leader in attack. He took defenders on, looked for teammates in a better position, tracked back when he lost the ball, and pushed fans to cheer harder whenever the team struggled.

Over the course of the 2023-24 season, Vinicius Jr. played 39 matches for the club in all competitions, scoring 24 goals and providing 11 assists. His heroics helped Real Madrid to the La Liga title, the UEFA Champions League trophy, and the Supercopa de Espana. The jet-heeled Brazilian scored in Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final and scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 win against Barcelona in the Supercopa final.

Everyone expected Vinicius Jr. to claim his first Ballon d’Or thanks to the season he had. However, just hours before the ceremony, rumors started circulating that Manchester City midfielder Rodri would stand on the top step. Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that Real Madrid had canceled their trip to Paris after knowing Vinicius Jr. would not deliver the acceptance speech.

Rodri Was a Deserving Winner

Although Vinicius Jr. was well within his rights to anticipate a win on Monday, Rodri was by no means an undeserving winner. The Spaniard is the best in the world in his position — the engine of Pep Guardiola’s mighty Manchester City. He dictates the tempo of the game, plays defense-piercing es at will, and has a knack for popping up with decisive goals. All of his world-class traits were on display for the Cityzens across the 2023-24 season. He played 50 matches for the club in all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing 14 assists. Rodri emerged as one of City’s best players as they became the first team in history to win four consecutive Premier League titles.

Rodri’s performances for City were exemplary, but they did not secure the Ballon d’Or for him. His world-class displays for Spain in the 2024 European Championship ensured that a defensive midfielder won a forward-dominated award. Rodri was the metronome of Luis de la Fuente’s Spain in EURO 2024, chipping in with invaluable performances to lead them to continental glory. UEFA recognized his heroics after Spain’s 2-1 win over England in the final, naming him the Player of the Tournament.

Real Madrid Ace Vinicius Jr. Responds After Ballon d’Or Snub

Shortly after Football awarded the Ballon d’Or to Rodri, Vinicius Jr. took to X (formerly Twitter). There was a hint of bitterness in his statement, suggesting he did not get the recognition he deserved for his performances.

He wrote (translated):

“I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready.”

Vinicius Jr. went above and beyond to help Real Madrid to the most important trophies last season. However, his performances for Brazil in the 2024 Copa America left a lot to be desired. Historically, the Ballon d’Or has given precedence to international competitions over club tournaments. Since Vinicius Jr. failed to deliver in Copa — 2 goals in 3 games before Brazil’s QF exit — Rodri understandably got the better of him.

Fortunately, the 24-year-old has his best years ahead of him. If he can keep his head down and learn from setbacks, only sky is the limit for the world-class winger.