Rodri addresses Ballon d’Or controversy

The controversy surrounding the 2024 Ballon d’Or continues to spark debate across the football world. That edition of the prestigious award produced one of the most heated discussions in recent years after Rodri, the Manchester City midfielder, won the trophy ahead of Vinicius Junior, star of Real Madrid.

Many believed the Brazilian winger was the clear favorite after an outstanding season with the Spanish giants. However, the award ultimately went to the Spanish international, who had also played a key role with Spain on the international stage.

The result triggered strong reactions within the Madrid camp and quickly fueled the narrative of a supposed rivalry between the two players.

But now Rodri himself has stepped forward to dismiss the idea of any conflict. Speaking to the program Radioestadio Noche on Onda Cero, the midfielder made it clear that the rivalry many people tried to build simply does not exist.

“They tried to pit us against each other”: Rodri’s response

The Manchester City midfielder was direct when addressing the topic. According to him, the story of a rivalry with Vinicius was largely amplified by outside voices that had nothing to do with the relationship between the players.

“They tried to put Vinicius and me against each other for no reason. I have huge respect for him and for everything he did that year,” the midfielder said.

He also pointed out that the Ballon d’Or winner is not decided by the players themselves, but by voters.

“In the end, it’s other people who decide who wins the Ballon d’Or,” he explained.

A Ballon d’Or even Rodri did not expect

Another surprising revelation from the Spanish international is that he did not expect to win the award. According to Rodri, he attended the ceremony without preparing any speech because he genuinely believed someone else might take the prize.

“I didn’t prepare anything because I didn’t know I was going to win,” he admitted.

When his name was finally announced, the midfielder said a flood of memories came to mind.

“In that moment you remember many important moments in your life as a footballer,” he explained.

Rodri’s victory was largely supported by his consistency, leadership, and tactical intelligence in midfield, qualities that have turned him into one of the most influential players in world football.

An unusual footballer in the modern era

Beyond the Ballon d’Or controversy, Rodri also spoke about how winning the award changed certain aspects of his life, although he insists he tries to remain the same person.

“A lot of things change when you win the Ballon d’Or, but I try not to let it change me,” he said.

The Spanish midfielder even described himself as an unusual figure in modern football.

“I’m an atypical footballer: I don’t have social media and I don’t have tattoos,” he revealed.

His comments reinforce the image of a player focused more on performance on the pitch than on media exposure.

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