Share this
Pep Guardiola emphasized on Tuesday that Rodri deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, asserting that no “elite group” influenced the decision to name the Manchester City midfielder as the world’s best footballer.....Read Full Article>>
Despite Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior being favored to win after his successful season, the Spanish club withdrew its delegation from the awards ceremony in Paris, claiming a snub towards Vinicius.
Rodri, 28, received the prestigious trophy following his crucial role in helping Manchester City secure a fourth consecutive Premier League title and contributing to Spain’s victory in Euro 2024.
Speaking at a press conference before Manchester City’s League Cup match against Tottenham, Guardiola expressed his delight over Rodri’s achievement. “What can I say? First, I want to congratulate him and his family and friends. It’s incredible news for him and all of us,” he said.
Rodri is currently sidelined for the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained in September. Guardiola added, “We at Manchester City are so proud of him. We hope this recognition can give him the energy to recover well for next season.”
Regarding Real Madrid’s decision to boycott the ceremony, despite being named the men’s team of the year, Guardiola remarked, “It’s up to them. If they want to congratulate you, that’s fine; if not, that’s fine too. Last season, Erling (Haaland) won the treble and scored over 50 goals. I told him he should be really happy just to be there, and I said the same to Rodri.”
Guardiola acknowledged that while Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi were deserving winners in previous years, the voting process is not controlled by an elite group but by journalists. “In the last decade, Spanish football has made a significant impact, winning a World Cup and Euros, yet Spanish players have not won this award,” he noted.
The Ballon d’Or winners are selected from a shortlist by an international jury of 100 specialist journalists. The organizers, the Amaury group, which owns L’Equipe and France Football, confirmed that “no player or club” was informed of the winners in advance.
Be the first to comment