Rodri Hernández, second Ballon d'Or in the history of Spanish football, gave an interview to the show “El Larguero”.
On Cadena SER, the Manchester City and Spain midfielder spoke to Manu Carreño about the Ballon d'Or, Guardiola's extension with City, his injury, Real Madrid and even Vinicius.
Ballon d’Or
It was a brutal moment. You see players when you were little and now here you are…. I had a weak knee and Drogba was asking me to come up and I was telling him I couldn't move…. This day was a real mountain Russian. I was sure I wasn't going to win because of all the information that had come out. Then events follow one another quickly. As the hours pass, optimism awakens, but my family and I have decided not to have too many illusions. Put yourself in my place. No one came to me to tell me I was going to be the winner. No one confirmed anything to me until Weah opened the envelope and my name was on it.
This Ballon d’Or came to recognize this work which is sometimes not visible. I don't want the Ballon d'Or to change me. My family takes care of it. Above all, with my intelligence, which has brought me this far, why would I change? This is not the purpose of my life. I've always had short-term goals and suddenly you realize you're here and you're fighting for a Ballon d'Or. There are many Spaniards who do not have this objective. There are many other Spaniards who didn't win it and who were better players than me, those are the circumstances of football.
When do you want to play again?
I work out almost more than I would if I were healthy. Every day I train for four to five hours. I had surgery and on the third day I started working on my knee, there was no time to lose. I'm trying to set a date, around March or April. I want to finish this season and not let it slip away. Every year they get longer and I think I'll get there. With the Nations League and the Club World Cup, I think I will get there.
Guardiola’s extension with City
It's a joy that Pep has decided to stay. He is the most influential coach of my career. It’s a joy for the club and for all Cityzens. I know him and when I signed with them they told me he would only stay for a few years and then he would leave, I knew it wasn't going to be like that. Guardiola resembles Simeone in his demands and his love of sport.
Real's absence from the Ballon d'Or gala
I don't know if in the future Real Madrid will go to another gala or not.
If Real Madrid calls him one day…
Obviously, when Real Madrid calls you, the best club in history and the most successful, with what that means, it's an honor. You should always pay attention to this. It's clear.
L'attitude de Vinicius
Vinicius is one of the best players in the world. He is an intelligent man and over time he has understood that the more he is on the field, the better he is. He has things to improve, like everyone else. He is young and he will have people to advise him well, and with being at Real Madrid even more so. It's a club with values, so I can't say much. Athletes are not only what they represent on the field, but also off it.
Luis Enrique had put him as central defender in the selection
It took me by surprise, but at that moment, while others might have seen it as a bad thing, I saw an opportunity to make a place for myself because I wasn't going to get a role as important as Busquets. I remember coming out of the second half with a killer look. I knew I had to give everything and that's why I was able to participate in a World Cup. If Luis Enrique put me there, it's because he thought I had the ability. I remember the team worked and I was right. Coaches see things and they don't need to see a lot of games. In Qatar, I remember I started watching Pique and Puyol's matches during the 2010 World Cup and I said to myself, this is a different pace, this is not the football I play today. 'today.
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