By In a historic night at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, Manchester City midfielder Rodri was crowned the men’s winner, becoming the first Premier League player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 to earn the accolade. Meanwhile, Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati took home the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive year, cementing her status as a top force in women’s football.
Rodri’s win stirred controversy, with Real Madrid boycotting the event despite being named the men’s club of the year. Madrid players Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal, and Jude Bellingham were among those Rodri surpassed to claim the honor. In response, Vinicius posted defiantly on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his commitment to the club’s values: “I’ll do it 10 times if I have to. They’re not ready.”
The 28-year-old midfielder’s win follows a stellar season, where he claimed his fourth consecutive Premier League title with Manchester City and won Euro 2024 with Spain, despite sustaining an ACL injury in September. Reflecting on his victory, Rodri expressed gratitude to his family, teammates, and club, crediting Manchester City for their support in his journey to the top.
In women’s football, Bonmati’s second Ballon d’Or award highlighted a remarkable year where she led Barcelona to both La Liga F and the Women’s Champions League titles. English players Lucy Bronze, Lauren James, and Lauren Hemp were also nominated, with James placing highest among them at 13th.
Emma Hayes, former Chelsea Women’s coach, was named women’s coach of the year, while Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti won the Johan Cruyff Trophy for men’s coach of the year. Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane shared the Gerd Muller Trophy for top scorers, though Mbappe was notably absent alongside other Madrid figures. In a statement, Real Madrid criticized the awards, claiming they failed to respect the club and its players.
Barcelona’s teenage sensation Yamine Lamal received the Kopa Trophy as the best young male player, while Emi Martinez of Aston Villa retained the Yashin Trophy as the world’s top goalkeeper, following a season that saw him shine for Argentina and in the Copa America.
