Ballon d'Or, Rodri's strong words about Vinicius Jr: “He was going to win”

The 68th Ballon d'Or ceremony, which saw Rodri be crowned, was marked by a notable absence: that of Real Madrid. The Merengue club delegation, which heard of the Manchester City defensive midfielder's victory, decided to boycott the event. The reason, the non-consecration of Vinicius Jr, announced as the big favorite for several weeks.

During an interview with the show El Hormiguero, Rodri looked back on this evening full of twists and turns. “There is enough to make a book around the controversy with Vinicius. I had a roller coaster ride. There was a trend: he was going to win. I was surprised because this year we didn't know until the end.” he recalled.

A total surprise

Rodri also said he was unsure about his own chances of victory. “I went to the gala because it’s not every day that you get to experience the Ballon d’Or ceremony. But I wasn't optimistic about winning. Then I started receiving messages on the day of the ceremony and in Paris, a lot of people were shouting at me,” said the 2024 European champion.

The Skyblues star will be unavailable until the end of the season due to a ruptured right knee ligament that occurred in September. His return to the field is not expected before the next financial year.