On the European soccer stage at the end of the era of “Menaldo” (Messi + Ronaldo), Manchester City’s “winning fairy” Rodri (28, Spain) stood tall as the star who shone the most in the 2023-2024 season.
Rodri was selected as the winner of the men’s player category at the 2024 Ballon d’Or Awards held at the Châtelet Theater in Paris, France on the 29th (Korea time).
The Ballon d’Or is the world’s most prestigious football awards ceremony organized by French football magazine France Football, marking its 68th anniversary this year.
This year’s award ceremony was held in collaboration with UEFA, and Rodri, who received the most votes in the world’s 100 press corps vote among the 30 finalists for outstanding performances from August 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024, was selected as the “Star of the Stars.”
Rodri, who was ruled out for the season after being on the operating table due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a fifth round match between Arsenal and the English Premier League (EPL) on the 23rd of last month, attended on crutches and was handed the Ballon d’Or by ‘Liberian soccer hero’ George Weah.
As a result, Rodri was named the third Spanish winner in 64 years since Luis Suarez Miramontes in 1960 and after Alfredo di Stefano (1957 and 1959) and Luis Suarez Miramontes.
Rodri had the best years of his football career in the 2023-2024 season.
Rodri, who was Manchester City’s defensive midfielder and played a perfect role as a link between offense and defense in the midfield, stood tall as the most trusted player from manager Pep Guardiola.
Rodri, who joined Manchester City in July 2019, has played more than 50 games in four of the past five seasons, including 52 games in the 2019-2020 season, 53 games in the 2020-2021 season, 56 games in the 2022-2023 season, and 50 games in the 2023-2024 season, except for 46 official games in the 2021-2022 season. 스포츠토토
In particular, in 174 EPL games that Rodri played since joining Manchester City, Manchester City lost only 19 games, and in games where Rodri started, he continued his unbeaten streak in 52 consecutive games, playing the role of a “victory fairy.”
Rodri also took charge of the Spanish national team’s midfield at the 2024 European Championship (Euro 2024) in July, leading his country to victory and being named MVP.
As a result, Rodri swept Manchester City’s EPL victory in the 2023-2024 season, Spain’s Euro 2024 MVP, and emerged as a strong candidate for the Ballon d’Or, eventually winning the honor.
