The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri shared how he won the prestigious award in what appears to be a dig at Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, who finished as the runner-up.
Rodri shares insight into Ballon d’Or triumph
Shortly after his victory in Paris, the Manchester City star took the stage for an interview with hosts Didier Drogba and Sandy Heribert, where he shared how refining his skills had helped him become a more well-rounded player.
“I was a traditional midfielder,” Rodri began, as quoted by Fourfourtwo.
“But once I realised if I wanted to get better, I had to do better in the last third, [with] assists, goals. That’s why in the last few years, my presence, in that sense, in terms of goals has been increased.
“It’s something you have to [adopt that] mindset to improve. It’s the modern holding midfielder role: you have to be like a striker [and] like to play in the [final third].”
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A dig at Vinicius?
When asked about his personality off the pitch, Rodri admitted that little is known about him, partly due to his absence from social media. As a holding midfielder, he tends to be introverted away from the spotlight – but still aims to be a leader.
“I know, because [I’m not on] social media, and I understand that people don’t know me much. I’m just a normal guy, enjoy the sport, enjoy my profession, try to be the best version of myself every day,” he said. “I try to be a good person, good to my teammates, try to be a leader.
“And this is my role, I’m a very calm person, until I get upset! But I think this is the main thing: [I’m] a normal guy, try to say to the kids that you don’t need to be crazy, you can be a normal guy, try to do your best.”
Rodri’s comments on being “a normal guy” without any drama could be interpreted as a subtle contrast to fellow Ballon d’Or contender Vinicius, who is known for his expressive nature on and off the pitch.
The Brazilian forward was thought to have missed out on the award partly due to his on-field conduct, though organisers later clarified their reasoning for his ranking.
