Manchester City midfielder Rodri made history on Monday by becoming the first Spanish footballer to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or award since 1960. At 28 years old, he also becomes the first Premier League player to receive the award since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008, when he was with Manchester United.
Rodri’s outstanding contributions were pivotal in Manchester City’s success, helping the club secure its fourth consecutive Premier League title. He also played a significant role in the Spanish national team’s triumph at the 2024 European Championship in Germany, where they defeated England 2-1 in July. For his exceptional performance throughout the tournament, Rodri was named Player of the Tournament.
With a total of 14 assists in all competitions, Rodri showcased his skills as a defensive midfielder, combining defensive stability with crucial playmaking abilities. During the 2023-24 season, he also scored 10 goals, highlighting his importance to both club and country.
Notable Finalists and Controversy
Among the finalists for the Ballon d’Or were Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal from Real Madrid. However, no representatives from the club attended the awards ceremony in Paris, even though Carlo Ancelotti received the Coach of the Year award.
Vinicius Junior finished second in the voting, with Bellingham taking third. This year marked a significant shift in the awards, as neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo—who have collectively won the Ballon d’Or 13 times—were in contention, marking the first time since 2003 that neither appeared on the list of nominees.
Despite his understated playing style compared to Messi and Ronaldo, Rodri’s leadership and consistent performances have made him a vital asset for his team. “I try to be a leader and try to improve every day from the best,” he said.
Ballon d’Or 2024 Ceremony Controversy
The ceremony faced backlash as Real Madrid boycotted the event, protesting the decision not to award Vinicius Junior despite his exceptional performances in La Liga and the Champions League. Speculation about the award winner circulated on social media before the event, prompting Real Madrid to withdraw its delegation in protest.
Rodri addressed the situation diplomatically, stating, “They have their reasons and made their decision not to attend. I just focus on my club and my teammates.”
Women’s Ballon d’Or 2024 Winner
Aitana Bonmat retained her Women’s Ballon d’Or award after leading FC Barcelona to victory in the Spanish league, Spanish cup, and Champions League. Bonmat, who scored 19 goals for the second consecutive season, received the award from Oscar winner Natalie Portman.
Summary of 2024 Ballon d’Or Award Winners
In addition to Rodri’s historic win, other notable awards included:
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Men’s Ballon d’Or | Rodri (Spain, Manchester City) |
| Women’s Ballon d’Or | Aitana Bonmat (Spain, FC Barcelona) |
| Kopa Trophy | Lamine Yamal (Spain, FC Barcelona) |
| Yashin Trophy | Emiliano Martinez (Argentina, Aston Villa) |
| Men’s Coach of the Year | Carlo Ancelotti (Italy, Real Madrid) |
| Women’s Coach of the Year | Emma Hayes (England, Chelsea/USA) |
| Men’s Club of the Year | Real Madrid |
| Women’s Club of the Year | FC Barcelona |
| Gerd Muller Trophy | Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich); Kylian Mbappé (France, PSG/Real Madrid) |
| Socrates Award | Jenni Hermoso (Spain, Tigres UANL) |
Historical Ballon d’Or Winners
The Ballon d’Or, established in 1956, has recognized the best players in football for over six decades. Below is the complete list of winners from 1956 to 2024:
| Year | Player | Nationality | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Rodri | Spain | Manchester City |
| 2023 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Inter Miami |
| 2022 | Karim Benzema | France | Real Madrid |
| 2021 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 2020 | Not awarded | – | – |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Barcelona |
| 2018 | Luka Modric | Croatia | Real Madrid |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Barcelona |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Barcelona |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Barcelona |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Barcelona |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Barcelona |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Manchester United |
| 2007 | Kaka | Brazil | Milan |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro | Italy | Real Madrid |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho | Brazil | Barcelona |
| 2004 | Andriy Shevchenko | Ukraine | Milan |
| 2003 | Pavel Nedved | Czechia | Juventus |
| 2002 | Ronaldo | Brazil | Real Madrid |
| 2001 | Michael Owen | England | Liverpool |
| 2000 | Luis Figo | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 1999 | Rivaldo | Brazil | Barcelona |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane | France | Juventus |
| 1997 | Ronaldo | Brazil | Internazionale |
| 1996 | Matthias Sammer | Germany | Borussia Dortmund |
| 1995 | George Weah | Liberia | Milan |
| 1994 | Hristo Stoichkov | Bulgaria | Barcelona |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio | Italy | Juventus |
| 1992 | Marco van Basten | Netherlands | Milan |
| 1991 | Jean-Pierre Papin | France | Marseille |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthaus | Germany | Internazionale |
| 1989 | Marco van Basten | Netherlands | Milan |
| 1988 | Marco van Basten | Netherlands | Milan |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit | Netherlands | Milan |
| 1986 | Igor Belanov | Soviet Union | Dynamo Kyiv |
| 1985 | Michel Platini | France | Juventus |
| 1984 | Michel Platini | France | Juventus |
| 1983 | Michel Platini | France | Juventus |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Italy | Juventus |
| 1981 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | West Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1980 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | West Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1979 | Kevin Keegan | England | Hamburg |
| 1978 | Kevin Keegan | England | Hamburg |
| 1977 | Allan Simonsen | Denmark | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| 1976 | Franz Beckenbauer | West Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1975 | Oleg Blokhin | Soviet Union | Dynamo Kyiv |
| 1974 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands | Barcelona |
| 1973 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands | Barcelona |
| 1972 | Franz Beckenbauer | West Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1971 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands | Ajax |
| 1970 | Gerd Müller | West Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1969 | Gianni Rivera | Italy | Milan |
| 1968 | George Best | Northern Ireland | Manchester United |
| 1967 | Florian Albert | Hungary | Ferencvárosi TC |
| 1966 | Bobby Charlton | England | Manchester United |
| 1965 | Eusebio | Portugal | Benfica |
| 1964 | Denis Law | Scotland | Manchester United |
| 1963 | Lev Yashin | Soviet Union | Dynamo Moscow |
| 1962 | Josef Masopust | Czechoslovakia | Dukla Prague |
| 1961 | Omar Sívori | Italy | Juventus |
| 1960 | Luis Suarez | Spain | Barcelona |
| 1959 | Alfredo Di Stefano | Argentina/Spain | Real Madrid |
| 1958 | Raymond Kopa | France | Real Madrid |
| 1957 | Alfredo Di Stefano | Argentina/Spain | Real Madrid |
| 1956 | Stanley Matthews | England | Blackpool |
The Ballon d’Or continues to celebrate the pinnacle of individual achievement in football, and the 2024 ceremony showcased the remarkable talent present in the sport today.
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