Manchester City News: Opinion: The Ballon d’Or is a football prize saved by Rodri

Rodri’s victory in the Ballon d’Or is a victory for football.

The award came to Manchester City for the first time in its history, and, having been rightly presented to Rodri, the award itself was retained.

It was not just a victory for Spain, but a victory for the sport as a prize that had been dominated for years by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi went into the hands of the best and most accomplished footballer on the planet.

There was talk of Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham, but the Ballon d’Or was won by a player who has proven his competence for both club and country over the past five years, winning everything there is to win and proving his worth. so important to Pep Guardiola’s operation.

A fourth consecutive Premier League title followed success at the FIFA Club World Cup before Rodri emerged as a powerhouse in the middle of Spain’s parkland at Euro 2024. Germany, France and England suffered defeats on their way to winning the tournament. and Rodri was named UEFA Player of the Tournament Trophy.

The Ballon d’Or risked becoming a glorified popularity contest rather than recognizing true footballing brilliance and performance on the pitch. Since Rodri won the prize, we can again talk about this trophy as a salute to the best football star in the world.

Here we talk about the true footballing skill and intelligence of Rodri, while forgetting the human side of the man, which is far from the average modern professional footballer. This is the success of a global superstar who has no social media, no elaborate PR campaign, and is simply the recognition of an athlete who has mastered his craft by dedicating his life to the sport he loves.

It is his performance on the field combined with his exemplary behavior on and off the field that has seen him establish himself as a complete footballing role model, redefining the idea of ​​midfield orchestration.

These are the Rules for the distribution of the Ballon d’Or. This is a victory for football. This is justice for the Ballon d’Or itself. A football prize saved by Rodri, the greatest professional, the greatest midfielder and history maker of Manchester City (Spain), and the professional midfielder in the game.

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