Manchester City midfielder Rodri has made history by winning the 2024 Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Premier League player to earn the honor since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008.
Despite suffering an ACL injury in September, Rodri had an exceptional season, securing a fourth consecutive Premier League title and the Euro 2024 trophy with Spain, where he was named Best Player of the tournament.
Arriving on crutches for the award ceremony, he acknowledged his remarkable journey, having gone 74 matches and 475 days without defeat for club and country before the streak ended in the FA Cup final against Manchester United.
Rodri is the first defensive midfielder to win the Ballon d’Or since its inception in 1956 and the first Spaniard to do so since Luis Suarez in 1960.
In women’s football, Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati won the Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive year, and Emma Hayes, former Chelsea Women’s manager, was named Women’s Coach of the Year.
