Manchester City midfielder Rodri read the same reports as everyone ahead of this year’s Ballon d’Or – that Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior seemed to be the overwhelming favourite to win the award.
Vinicius topped the odds lists ahead of the ceremony – when it comes to the Ballon d’Or, they’re very rarely wrong.
Even when Rodri stroked the winner in the Champions League final and bagged the Treble in 2023, he only came fifth, with holding midfielders rarely considered for the award, no matter how talented.
Rodri's year of glory
Spain Euro 2024 squad Rodri of Spain celebrates after winning the UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final match between Spain and Germany at Stuttgart Arena on July 5, 2024 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Rodri at the Euros(Image credit: Getty Images)
In an exclusive interview with FourFourTwo magazine, Rodri explained that he feared the moment had passed when he didn’t come close to bagging the award a year ago.
“After the season before, appearing in important moments, I thought that was the year to maybe challenge for it,” he said.
MADRID, SPAIN - 2023/11/11: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates a goal during the La Liga 2023/24 match between Real Madrid and Valencia at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Final score; Real Madrid 5:1 Valencia. (Photo by Guillermo Martínez/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Vinicius was the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or(Image credit: Getty Images)
“I never expected to repeat it again, as it’s a matter of many things – appearing in huge moments, winning collectively, performing well all season. Then 2023-24 came and it was another unbelievable year for me.
“I realised that perhaps I had some chance, but because of everything in the media, it was so clear that the other guy was winning and I didn’t expect much. Inside of me though, I thought, ‘Well, it’s a vote of 100 journalists, let’s wait’.”
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Having won both the Premier League and the Euros, Rodri did in fact bag the award, becoming the first holding midfielder to win the gong since Lothar Matthaus in 1990.
As is always the case with such high-profile awards, a global debate raged over whether he deserved it.
Rodri
Rodri(Image credit: Getty Images)
“A few players deserved it, but what made the difference in my case was maybe the consistency, and always being there from August to July,” he told FFT.
“They valued my importance to my national team and my club, and also the major trophies I won.
“We can all agree it’s so difficult as a holding midfielder, or a full-back or centre back – imagine as a keeper…
Rodrigo Hernández Cascante aka Rodri attends the 67th Ballon D'Or Ceremony at Theatre Du Chatelet on October 30, 2023 in Paris, France.
Rodri with the Ballon d'Or(Image credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
“My friends texted me and said football won. They gave value to other ways of understanding football – as a collective, as a midfielder, as the manager on the pitch.
“It’s an honour not just for me, but for all the midfielders in history.”
You can read the full interview with Rodri about his Ballon d’Or triumph in the special awards issue of FourFourTwo magazine, out on Thursday.