Rodri wins the Ballon d'Or after Premier League and Euro 2024 glory

Manchester City midfielder Rodri was awarded the Ballon d'Or after an outstanding season that saw him claim silverware for both club and country.

Rodri was presented with the award on Monday at a ceremony in Paris organized by French magazine France Football in collaboration with UEFA.

“A very special day for me, my family and my country,” said Rodri.

“I understand that people don’t know me much because I don’t have social media. I'm just a normal guy. I enjoy the sport, I enjoy my job. And I try to be a good person. I am a very calm person.”

The 28-year-old won his fourth consecutive Premier League title with City in May as Pep Guardiola's side fended off Arsenal's challenge and won their final nine games to secure the title. He is the first player from England's top flight to be crowned since Cristiano Ronaldo won during his first spell at Manchester United in 2008.

Rodri's main competition for the Ballon d'Or came from Madrid's Vinícius Júnior, who refused to travel to Paris for the ceremony after realizing he would not be taking home the trophy. Jude Bellingham came third in the voting.

Vinícius, 24, was one of the main contenders to win the 2024 men's prize after leading Madrid to the LaLiga and Champions League double last season, but sources told ESPN earlier on Monday that neither he nor his fellow candidates were from Madrid – a total of eight different awards around the world – would take part in the event.

Madrid had previously been honored as men's team of the year at the ceremony, and Carlo Ancelotti received the coach of the year award, although no representative of the last Champions League winner was present to accept it.

Rodri was part of the Spanish team that won Euro 2024, starting in every game except the third group stage match against Albania and securing the Player of the Tournament award.

From March 2023 to May 2024, he went 74 games unbeaten as a club and country worldwide, avoiding defeat (except in penalties) until City lost to Manchester United in the FA Cup final.

Rodri is the second Spanish-born male player to win the sport's most prestigious individual prize and the first since former Barcelona star Luis Suárez in 1960.

Legendary Real Madrid striker Alfredo di Stefano won the award twice, in 1957 and 1959, despite being born in Argentina. The last four Ballons d'Or Féminin have been won by Spanish women (Alexia Putellas in 2021 and 2022 and Aitana Bonmatí in 2023 and 2024).

Rodri is likely to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in City's 2-2 draw with Arsenal on September 22. He accepted the award on crutches on Monday.

The knee injury came just days after he said at a press conference that players might go on strike in response to the ever-increasing number of games on the football calendar.

“I'm just trying to take care of myself. Rest, enjoy time off with my family and come back stronger,” said Rodri when asked about his recovery.

Previously, Barcelona's Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy as the best U21 player last season, while Aitana Bonmatí won the Ballon d'Or Féminin for the second year in a row.

Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé shared the Gerd Müller Trophy for most goals in a season, while Aston Villa and Argentina international Emiliano Martínez retained the world's best goalkeeper award after his country's Copa America title.