Rodri Responds to Ronaldo's Claim That Vinicius Deserved Ballon d'Or: 'Surprising Comments'

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Cristiano Ronaldo, known for his bold opinions, recently stirred up some buzz with his take on the 2024 Ballon d’Or. At the Globe Soccer Awards, he argued that Vinicius Junior should have snagged the award instead of Manchester City's Rodri, highlighting that the Brazilian not only won the Champions League but also scored in the final.

Ronaldo stated, “I think it was unfair. I’m saying this in front of everyone. Rodri deserved it too, but Vinicius should have gotten it because he won the Champions League and scored in the final.”

He continued, “You know how these award shows go. That’s why I appreciate the Globe Soccer Awards; they keep it real.”

In response, Rodri shared his disappointment and reminded everyone about the award's rules. He told Diario AS, “I was surprised, honestly, because he knows how this award works and how the winner is determined.”

This year, the journalists who cast their votes decided that I should take home the award. It's likely that these same journalists were the ones who once voted for him to win, and I can imagine he would have been on board with that back then, too, he mentioned.

Considered one of the greatest midfielders in football history, Rodri played a key role in helping Spain clinch the Euro 2024 title this year and was named Player of the Tournament. He also made history as the first Manchester City player to win the Ballon d’Or.

On the other hand, Vinicius had a stellar season with Madrid, winning La Liga, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. He was also recognized as The Best FIFA Men’s Player in 2024. After learning that Vinicius wouldn’t be receiving the Ballon d’Or, the entire Real Madrid team decided to skip the gala in Paris.

The award is presented annually by an international panel of journalists, with one representative from each country based on the top-100 in the latest FIFA rankings. Each journalist ranks ten players in order of merit from a shortlist of 30, which is put together by L’Equipe's editorial team. The players with the most points from these selections ultimately win the award.