Rhodri Pips is Vinicius Jr’s favorite for the trophy

Manchester City maestro Rodri presented football’s most prestigious award, the Ballon d’Or, at the Chatelet Theater in Paris on Monday 28 October. Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr, who was the overwhelming favorite to win the award, finished second. Real Madrid pair Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal finished third and fourth.

Shock in Paris: Rodri beats Vinicius Jr. for the 2024 Ballon d’Or

Vinicius Jr was favorite to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid left winger Vinicius Jr has had an explosive 2023-24 season. After Karim Benzema left, Vinicius Jr. became the leader of the attack. He took on defenders, looked for teammates in the best position, monitored situations when he lost the ball and made the fans cheer even more when the team was in trouble.

In the 2023/24 season, Vinicius Jr. made 39 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 24 goals and providing 11 assists. His heroics helped Real Madrid win the La Liga title, the UEFA Champions League trophy and the Spanish Super Cup. The Brazilian scored in Madrid’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final and scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 win over Barcelona in the Super Cup final.

Everyone expected Vinicius Jr. to win his first Ballon d’Or thanks to his season. However, just hours before the ceremony, rumors began to circulate that Manchester City midfielder Rodri would be on the top step. Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that Real Madrid canceled their trip to Paris after learning that Vinicius Jr. would not give his welcome speech.

Rodri was a deserved winner

While Vinicius Jr had every right to expect victory on Monday, Rodri was by no means an undeserving winner. The Spaniard is the best in the world in his position – the engine of Pep Guardiola’s mighty Manchester City. He dictates the pace of the game, plays penetrating passes at will and has the ability to score decisive goals. All of his world-class qualities were on display for the Citizens in the 2023-24 season. He made 50 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing 14 assists. Rodri became one of City’s best players as they became the first team in history to win four consecutive Premier League titles.

Rodri’s performances for City were exemplary, but they did not win him the Ballon d’Or. His world-class performances for Spain at the 2024 European Championship ensured the defensive midfielder won the award with a dominant striker. Rodri was a metronome for Spain under Luis de la Fuente at UEFA EURO 2024, making invaluable contributions and leading the team to continental glory. UEFA recognized his heroism after Spain’s 2-1 victory over England in the final, naming him the Tournament’s Player of the Year.

Vinicius Jr. responded to Real Madrid’s Ballon d’Or refusal

Shortly after France Football awarded Rodri the Ballon d’Or, Vinicius Jr. moved to X (formerly Twitter). There was a note of bitterness in his statement, suggesting he had not received the recognition he deserved for his performances.

He wrote (translated):

“I’ll do this 10 times if necessary. They’re not ready“

Vinicius Jr did everything he could to help Real Madrid win the most important trophies last season. However, his performances for Brazil at the 2024 Copa America left much to be desired. Historically, the Ballon d’Or has favored international competitions over club tournaments. With Vinicius Jr unable to make it in the Copa del Rey (2 goals in 3 games before Brazil exited the QF), Rodri understandably got the better of him.

Luckily, the 24-year-old has his best years ahead of him. If he can stay calm and learn from failure, the sky will be the limit for a world-class striker.