The master of the Spanish midfield, Rodrigo Hernández, known as Rodri, the English star of Manchester City, who just won the 2024 Ballon d’Or, shared a light chat with his Spanish national team teammate Álvaro Morata , who had previously doubted his chances of winning this prestigious prize.
Rodri was recently crowned World Player of the Year, following an intense battle with Brazilian Vinicius Junior, the Real Madrid striker who many observers believe was the closest contender before the scales tipped in favor of the Spanish international.
Rodri recounted how Morata often told him: ‘You’re crazy. If you had official accounts on social media, you would have won the Ballon d’Or.’ It is well known that Rodri, unlike most footballers, does not have official accounts on various social media platforms, despite his immense popularity thanks to his successful career with Manchester City and the Spanish national team.
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During his appearance on Spain’s popular ‘El Partidazo de COPE’ podcast, Rodri confidently claimed he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, adding: ‘I think I won the Ballon d’Or in because of the consistency of my level. It’s the hardest thing in football. I think from that year on, I was ‘the most consistent player in the world.’
He also commented: ‘I told my dad we would go there and only cheer for the winner. Nobody told me I would win. I arrived at the ceremony and waited for the envelope to be opened and the result to be announced.’
Rodri joked: ‘Now I sleep with the Ballon d’Or and take it everywhere, and my mother wants to place the trophy at the entrance of our house so everyone can see it.’
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Regarding Real Madrid and Vinicius Junior’s decision to miss the Ballon d’Or ceremony, Rodri said: ‘It doesn’t worry me. They’re not my team, so it doesn’t hurt me, and surely they have their reasons. I only focus on Manchester City and their supporters. Maybe I wouldn’t have done the same thing as them. Overall, this means ‘nothing’ to me; everyone can make their own decisions.’
Rodri mentioned his presence at a party where guests made fun of Vinicius Junior, saying: ‘I was at a private party just to celebrate, and I never disrespected anyone—not Vinicius, not Real Madrid, nor to other competitors for the Ballon d’Or.’
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Rodri admitted he would have voted for his compatriot Dani Carvajal for second place in the Ballon d’Or, while placing Vinicius third.
Rodri praised Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, his teammate at Manchester City, pointing out that he is the only player capable of rivaling the throne previously occupied by Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Rodri said: ‘In terms of numbers, Haaland is now the most decisive player in the world. He is the only player who can approach Messi and Cristiano.’
Rodri hopes his compatriot Lamine Jamal, the young FC Barcelona sensation, will one day win the Ballon d’Or, saying: ‘He will one day. That’s what I told him. At the same time, I can’t say if he will. We might win it more than once, or we might not. Let’s not put too much pressure on him. But he is a special player, and we knew that from the first moment. He must continue and remain humble.’
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At 28, Rodri has been sidelined by Manchester City since suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament on September 22 in a match against Arsenal, leaving his team without his services for the remainder of the current 2024-25 season. .
Regarding his current situation and his return date on the pitch, Rodri said: ‘I’m far from the pressure; I am focusing on my rehabilitation in the best way possible. The season is very long, and there is the Club World Cup coming up next June. I can do it (play again).’
Doubts hang over the future of fellow Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, and it remains unclear whether the Spanish coach will leave the team next summer or stay.
Asked about it, Rodri replied: ‘When I signed for Manchester City they said Pep would leave the following year, and he’s been here now for five years. He is an ambitious person, and he is the one who decides his future.’
Regarding a contract extension with City, Rodri explained: ‘We haven’t started talking about it; I’m injured, and extending my contract with City is not my priority at the moment. I want to recover in the best way possible. I focus on that; We’ll see what happens.’
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