OFFICIAL: Rodri wins the 2024 Ballon d'Or

Rodri has won the 2024 Ballon d'Or, excited he climbed up on crutches helped by Drogba and collected the Ballon d'Or from George Weah. There were many candidates, although there was a clear favorite: Vinicius Junior. The Real Madrid player headed all the betting lists to succeed Leo Messi as the best player in the world last season. However, it was Rodri who was awarded.

Rodri's speech, Ballon d'Or 2024

• "It was an incredible night for me today. I would like to speak in Spanish, the language of my country. Today I have a lot to thank a lot of people for, first of all France Football and UEFA for the award, for being here one more year. I wanted to thank everyone who voted for me, who trusted me, I know that today is a very special day not only for me, but also for my family and for my country. I wanted to thank the most important person I have, my girlfriend, today is just eight years and without you this path would not have been the same, thank you very much. To my family of course, for all the values ​​they have given me, for what they have helped me from the beginning and to take the right steps, to be a man who plays football for love, also to my agent Pablo, who would have told us that we would be here when you came to look for me and took me to the games with an unconditional love that I have never seen. I also wanted to thank the rest of my family and friends. I understand that football is a collective sport, thanks to City, the staff, the players. For me it is very special, without you I would not have achieved it. To the national team, to Luis for having believed in me for so long, I would like to remember Carvajal who has suffered the same injury as me and deserves to be here just as I do. And to someone who will be here soon, Lamine. Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like Iniesta, Xavi, Iker, Busi, like so many others, it is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder, today many friends have written to me and have told me that football has won, for giving visibility to so many midfielders who have a job in the shadows and today it comes to light. Finally I would like to tell an anecdote about the process that has led me to be here. When I was 17, I packed my bags and set off to pursue a dream: to go to Villarreal to play in the first division. I remember one day saying, "Enough." I remember calling my father crying, feeling like it was all over, that I had invested my whole life in achieving this and it seemed like my dream was fading away. He told me, "If we've made it this far, we're not going to throw in the towel." And from that day on, my mentality changed. A normal boy with values, who studies, who tries to do things well and doesn't pay attention to stereotypes outside of football can go far, thanks to everyone."

Rodri won the Premier League and the European Championship, as well as the Club World Cup and the European Super Cup. He was the leader of Guardiola's Manchester City and the Spanish national team.

Real Madrid player Vinícius was the big favourite, along with Haaland, Mbappé and Rodri, among others. But the fact that neither the Brazilian striker nor Real Madrid travelled as an expedition suggested that neither Carvajal nor Bellingham nor Kroos would win the Ballon d'Or either.

Rodri stars in the big surprise of the 2024 Ballon d'Or

The award par excellence in football has only been won by one Spaniard in its entire history: Luis Suárez. He won it in 1960 with 54 points, beating Ferenc Puskás with 37 and Uwe Seeler with 33.

The Ballon d'Or was recently won by Fernando Torres in 2008, and by the Blaugranas Xavi Hernández in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and Andrés Iniesta in 2010. Other Spanish players such as Emilio Butragueño, who finished third twice in a row in 1986 and 1987, even came second in 2001, only surpassed by Michael Owen.