Football Features

Rodri: Man City and Spain midfielder deserving of Ballon d’Or glory despite surprise win

By Harry Edwards

Published: 22:09, 28 October 2024

Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri has won the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or.

It was an announcement not many expected going into the day, with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr heavy favourite to take the crown. But with a few hours to go before the ceremony, news was leaked that Vinicius Jr had not in fact won, and would not be travelling to the event.

Given the shock, and conversations around Vinicius Jr and his Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham snubbing the event, Rodri’s win has been downplayed slightly. But it was a deserving win.

The window for the 2024 Ballon d’Or ran from 1st August 2023 to 31st July 2024, covering the entirety of the 2023-24 season. In that time, Rodri played 50 times for Man City including 34 in the Premier League as they won another title. He then added another 13 games for Spain, with six coming at Euro 2024 with La Roja lifting the trophy for a record-breaking fourth time. Rodri also won the Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup with Man City.

Rodri is known to be the metronome of Man City’s team, perhaps more defensive than other midfielders. But last season he added goal involvements to his game. The Spaniard was directly involved in 17 goals for Man City in the Premier League, with only three of his teammates involved more. Only Kevin De Bruyne (10) provided more assists than Rodri’s nine.

Two of Rodri’s nine goals won games for Man City, netting a late winner against Sheffield United before also opening the scoring against the Blades in the return fixture. He also scored a late equaliser against Chelsea to take a point and keep Man City’s unbeaten run going.

Looking at the actual parts of the game required for Rodri’s role, of course he kept that up. Rodri won possession 132 times in the middle third, more than any other player in the Premier League. Only five players won more across Europe’s top five leagues in 2023-24. He also ranked seventh across Europe’s top five leagues for possessions won in the attacking third (33).

Rodri made 70 tackles and 26 interceptions, while completing 40 clearances. But Man City weren’t really a team under the cosh. What they were, was a team in control. And that was because of Rodri.

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The Spaniard attempted (3,633) and completed (3,359) more passes than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues last season, completing 92.46% of them. He also led Europe for final third passes attempted (1,164) and completed (1,019). Naturally, no player had more touches in Europe’s top five leagues than Rodri’s 4,116.

As an average, Rodri was attempting 111.29 passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League and completed 102.9, with 126.09 touches. No one was more involved for their team than Rodri. He’s the first Premier League player to win the Ballon d’Or since Cristiano Ronaldo took the award in 2008. And it’s something Man City manager Pep Guardiol will be happy about.

“Rodri. Because he’s the best,” Guardiola told TNT Sports last week when asked who he thought should win the Ballon d’Or.

“You tell me this; that’s how I will answer. I always thought the Ballon d’Or was Messi and Cristiano. You still see, the age that they are, Messi scoring three goals for his national team.

“Rodri. If I could decide, I would say that. I understand that there are other players that can win it. I think the other way is being nominated and being there is already nice.”

Rodri is also the just the third Spaniard to win the men’s Ballon d’Or after Alfredo Di Stefano and Luis Suarez. Those two wins came in back-to-back years in 1959 and 1960. Even when Spain won the European Championships either side of the World Cup between 2008 and 2012, the best Spanish finish came in 2010 when Andres Iniesta and Xavi finished second and third respectively.

At Euro 2024, Rodri played 521 minutes, missing just one game through suspension. He did also have to come off in the final through injury, but Spain managed to secure the 2-1 win over England.

During his time on the pitch, Rodri made 14 tackles, the eighth-most at the tournament. He also won the most possessions in the middle third (23) and third-most in the attacking third (6). Rodri sat seventh for passes attempted (436), passes completed (407) and touches (502).

Per 90 minutes, his average was slightly less than at Man City, averaging 75.32 passes attempted and 70.31 passes completed alongside 86.72 touches. But only Aymeric Laporte attempted and completed more passes than Rodri for Spain. Laporte and Fabian Ruiz were the only Spaniards to have more touches. Rodri did lead La Roja for tackles.

2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or final standings

  • 1. Rodri
  • 2. Vinicius Jr
  • 3. Jude Bellingham
  • 4. Dani Carvajal
  • 5. Erling Haaland
  • 6. Kylian Mbappe
  • 7. Lautaro Martinez
  • 8. Lamine Yamal
  • 9. Toni Kroos
  • 10. Harry Kane
  • 11. Phil Foden
  • 12. Florian Wirtz
  • 13. Dani Olmo
  • 14. Ademola Lookman
  • 15. Nico Williams
  • 16. Granit Xhaka
  • 17. Federico Valverde
  • 18. Emiliano Martinez
  • 19. Martin Odegaard
  • 20. Hakan Calhanoglu
  • 21. Bukayo Saka
  • 22. Antonio Rudiger
  • 23. Ruben Dias
  • 24. William Saliba
  • 25. Cole Palmer
  • 26. Declan Rice
  • 27. Vitinha
  • 28. Alex Grimaldo
  • =29. Artem Dovbyk
  • =29. Mats Hummels

Full list of 2024 Ballon d’Or winners

2024 Ballon d’Or Feminin final standings

Aitana Bonmati scooped her second consecutive Ballon d’Or Feminin trophy, for her role in Barcelona Femeni’s Treble. The Spanish midfielder finished ahead of Barcelona teammates Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo, with Portland Thorns’ Sophia Smith in fourth.

  • 1. Aitana Bonmati
  • 2. Caroline Graham Hansen
  • 3. Salma Paralluelo
  • 4. Sophia Smith
  • 5. Lindsey Horan
  • 6. Mallory Swanson
  • 7. Marie-Antoinette Katoto
  • 8. Mariona Caldentey
  • 9. Trinity Rodman
  • 10. Alexia Putellas
  • 11. Patri Guijarro
  • 12. Barbra Banda
  • 13. Lauren Jame
  • 14. Ada Hegerberg
  • 15. Khadija Shaw
  • 16. Tabitha Chawinga
  • 17. Alyssa Naeher
  • 18. Gabi Portilho
  • 19. Giulia Gwinn
  • 20. Lucy Bronze
  • 21. Mayra Ramirez
  • 22. Glodis Viggosdottir
  • 23. Tarciane
  • 24. Lea Schuller
  • 25. Sjoeke Nusken
  • 26. Yui Hasegawa
  • 27. Manuel Giugliano
  • 28. Lauren Hemp
  • 29. Ewa Pajor
  • 30. Grace Geyoro

2024 Kopa Trophy final standings

There was no surprise winner for the 2024 Kopa Trophy, with Lamine Yamal taking the award. The Spaniard broke all sorts of records for Barcelona and Spain, helping the latter to win Euro 2024.

  • 1. Lamine Yamal
  • 2. Arda Guler
  • 3. Kobbie Mainoo
  • 4. Savinho
  • 5. Pau Cubarsi
  • 6. Joao Neves
  • 6. Alejandro Garnacho
  • 8. Warren Zaire-Emery
  • 8. Mathys Tel
  • 8. Karim Konate

2024 Yashin Trophy final standings

Emiliano Martinez held onto his spot as the best goalkeeper in the world with a second consecutive Yashin Trophy. The Aston Villa goalkeeper was crucial as Argentina won Copa America in the summer.

  • 1. Emiliano Martinez
  • 2. Unai Simon
  • 3. Andriy Lunin
  • 4. Gianluigi Donnarumma
  • 5. Mike Maignan
  • 6. Yann Sommer
  • 7. Giorgi Mamardashvili
  • 8. Diogo Costa
  • 9. Ronwen Williams
  • 10. Gregor Kobel

2024 Gerd Muller Trophy

There were two winners for the Gerd Muller trophy this year, with both Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe scoring 52 goals for club and country. Kane was the only one at the ceremony to accept his award though.

2024 Socrates Award

Jenni Hermoso took the Socrates Award, presented to the best humanitarian work by a footballer worldwide. The award came due to Hermoso’s work in highlighting sexual assault after she was kissed without consent by then-president of the Spanish Football Federationa Luis Rubiales when Spain won the Women’s World Cup last year.

2024 Men’s Club of the Year

Real Madrid claimed Men’s Club of the Year for the first time, ending Man City’s reign. Los Blancos won La Liga and the Champions League in 2023-24.

2024 Women’s Club of the Year

Barcelona Femeni were named Women’s Club of the Year for the second season running, after they won the Women’s Champions League, Liga F and Copa de la Reina.

2024 Men’s Coach of the Year

Carlo Ancelotti took the first ever Men’s Coach of the Year award, leading Real Madrid to another La Liga and Champions League Double. He was not at the ceremony to pick up his award.

2024 Women’s Coach of the Year

Emma Hayes was crowned the first ever Women’s Coach of the Year at the Ballon d’Or awards. Hayes is now in charge of the United States Women’s national team, who she led to Olympic glory in the summer. But before that, Hayes oversaw a fifth-consecutive FA Women’s Super League trophy with Chelsea.