Rodri, the talented Manchester City midfielder, has been crowned the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, beating out competition from Real Madrid stars Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal.
Rodri’s victory comes on the back of an incredible season in which he won the Premier League with Manchester City and helped Spain clinch the UEFA Euros.
Despite these accomplishments, the announcement left many fans stunned, as Vinicius Junior was widely tipped to take home the coveted prize.
In a dramatic turn of events, Vinicius was reportedly informed shortly before the ceremony that he would not be the winner, leading to Real Madrid boycotting the event.
This decision came despite the club being named Club of the Year and Carlo Ancelotti being awarded Coach of the Year.