Alive Ghana
- France Football’s chief editor has explained what may have cost Vinicius Junior his shot at Ballon d’Or glory after Manchester City midfielder Rodri claimed the award
- The Brazilian winger was considered a strong favourite for the prestigious honour following his instrumental role for Real Madrid last season
- Rodri’s victory marks him as the first midfielder since Luka Modric in 2018 to clinch the Ballon d’Or
France Football’s chief editor, Vincent Garcia, has shed light on why Vinicius Junior missed out on the Ballon d’Or, which was instead awarded to Manchester City’s Rodri.
Rodri became the first Spaniard since 1960 to win the prestigious award in a shocking announcement on Monday night.
Ballon d’Or organiser has explained why Vincius lost the Ballon d’Or to Rodri. Photos: Jose Breton/Franck Fife. Source: UGCVinicius was initially seen as the favourite after his remarkable season leading Real Madrid to both league and Champions League titles.
However, as the ceremony approached in the afternoon, it became clear Rodri was instead being crowned football’s new king.
Do not miss an opportunity to join FREE webinar “AI in Action: Practical Skills for Creative Professionals.” Register here.
Why Rodri beat Vinicius to Ballon d’Or
The Manchester City anchorman later received the trophy from legendary striker George Weah in a glittering Paris event Real Madrid boycotted.
Garcia suggested that competition from Vinicius’ own teammates may have ultimately impacted his Ballon d’Or chances.
After the ceremony, he said via Madrid Universal:
“It was close. Vinícius probably suffered from the presence of Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal in the top 5.”
He added via Madrid Zone:
“Real Madrid put huge pressure on me to know if Vini won, and maybe my silence made them think Viní lost, so they didnt show up. I’m unpleasantly surprised, but I dont wanna spend the night talking about RM, I want to talk about our wonderful winner, Rodri.”
Rodri has been out of action with an ACL injury since his side’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal earlier this season.
Rodri reacts after winning Ballon d’Or
When Rodri took the stage at the Theatre du Chatelet, supported by crutches due to a recent ACL injury, he humbly attributed his achievement to the broader legacy of Spanish football.
“Today is not a victory for me,” he reflected, as cited by the BBC, “but for Spanish football, and for many players who never won it but deserved it, like Iniesta, Xavi, Casillas, and Busquets. This is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder.”
By securing this historic win, Rodri became the first Manchester City player to receive the Ballon d’Or.
Rodri selects potential future winner
In a related report, TUKO.co.ke highlighted that newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner Rodri offered his thoughts on who might claim the prestigious award in the future.
The Manchester City midfielder shared his prediction shortly after surpassing Vinicius Junior to win the Golden Ball on Monday night.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke
