Spanish midfielders Rodri and Aitana Bonmati emerged victorious at the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, clinching the prestigious awards for best men’s and women’s footballers respectively.
However, the night was overshadowed by the absence of Real Madrid, who boycotted the event in a controversial protest.
Manchester City’s 28-year-old midfielder, Rodri, claimed his first Ballon d’Or after a stellar season.
He was instrumental in City’s Premier League triumph and Spain’s European Championship victory in July.
The award marks a significant achievement, especially considering the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years (both absent from the nominees for the first time since 2003).
An emotional Rodri expressed his gratitude, emphasizing the importance of teamwork despite his individual recognition.
Barcelona’s 26-year-old midfielder, Aitana Bonmati, successfully defended her Ballon d’Or title.
She spearheaded Barcelona’s dominance, leading them to victories in the Spanish league, cup, and Champions League. Bonmati joins teammate Alexia Putellas as a two-time winner of the women’s award since its inception in 2018.
The ceremony witnessed a significant absence – Real Madrid as the club, along with their players, snubbed the event, apparently disgruntled by Vinicius Jr. not winning the award despite being considered the frontrunner.
Social media witnessed an outpouring of frustration from Madrid players, questioning the legitimacy of the results.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti, who won the Coach of the Year award, attended the ceremony virtually.
Teenager Lamine Yamal, the youngest-ever scorer at a European Championship, received the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player.
Barcelona secured the best women’s team award while Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane shared the Gerd Mueller Trophy for most goals (club and country) last season.
Emiliano Martinez retained the Lev Yashin Award for best goalkeeper while Emma Hayes and Carlo Ancelotti won the Johan Cruyff Award for best women’s and men’s coach, respectively.
Jenni Hermoso received the Socrates Award for her humanitarian efforts in combating sexism in Spanish football.
