Rodri has reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo’s criticism of the Ballon d’Or, which the Manchester City star won in October, after the Portuguese forward labeled the award “unfair.”
Ronaldo made his remarks during the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, where he questioned the credibility of the Ballon d’Or.
The ceremony had seen Vinicius Jr named the best men’s footballer at the Globe Soccer Awards, while Rodri was honored with the Ballon d’Or in Paris.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner voiced his belief that Vinicius Jr deserved the accolade for his achievements in 2024.
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“Vinicius Jr should have won the Ballon d’Or, in my opinion it was clear,” Ronaldo said. “It was unfair. This is why I love Globe Soccer Awards, they are honest.”
Rodri addressed Ronaldo’s comments in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, expressing his surprise at the remarks.
“Well, it was a surprise, really, because he knows better than anyone how this award works and, above all, how the winner is chosen,” Rodri said.
“This year, the journalists who vote have decided that I should win it. Probably, these same journalists were the ones who at some point voted for him to win it, and I imagine that then he would have agreed.”
Rodri’s Ballon d’Or triumph came after a remarkable year in which he helped Manchester City become the first team to win four consecutive top-flight titles in England.
He also played a key role in Spain’s Euro 2024 victory under Luis de la Fuente.
The midfielder, who had lost only one club game in 18 months, became the first Premier League player to claim the award since Ronaldo achieved the feat with Manchester United in 2008.
However, the decision stirred controversy, with Real Madrid withdrawing a 50-strong delegation from the ceremony just hours before it began.
