Rodri clears the air over Ballon d’Or rivalry with Vinicius Junior | OneFootball

Rodri says he has no animosity towards Vinicius Junior after the Manchester City midfielder won the men’s Ballon d’Or award for 2024.

Real Madrid chose to boycott the ceremony after learning that Rodri had won the vote over the Brazilian winger ahead of the event in Paris on 28 October.

The Spaniard topped the poll of 100 journalists, 41 points ahead of Vinicius Jr, while Jude Bellingham finished third and Dani Carvajal fourth.

“I wasn’t hurt that Vinicius wasn’t there. Why would I be hurt?” he told Spanish radio station Cadena COPE.

Read – The Premier League players to win the Ballon d’Or

“It was my moment, to enjoy with my family. The last thing I’d be thinking about is people who weren’t there, and didn’t want to participate.”

Rodri was named the best male player of last season after playing a key role in City‘s Premier League title win and Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.

Vinicius Jr posted afterwards that he would put in ten times the effort after missing out on the award, but is yet to congratulate the player who did win. But Rodri says he is unbothered by the reaction from Madrid.

“All the Spanish clubs would have to congratulate me and they haven’t,” he said. “I care about my family and my club. They must have their reasons; I wouldn’t have done it that way and there’s no point in going over it. The mistake is giving so much attention to a club that hasn’t decided to participate.”

Rodri caused controversy after a video of him singing ‘Ciao Vinicius’ emerged online, but the former Villarreal and Atletico Madrid man played it down.

Read – ‘Football politics’ cost Vinicius Jr the Ballon d’Or

“People have to understand that it is a healthy sporting act, it is a private party. If we put a camera in each of our houses… I did not disrespect anyone, it is just another rivalry. I respect Vinicius.”

The 28-year-old revealed that he would have voted for Carvajal over Vinicius for the Ballon d’Or, perhaps unsurprising given the two are teammates at international level.

“I love that people vote what they feel. It’s someone’s opinion,” he said. “I respect Vinícius hugely, and Real Madrid, and anyone who knows me knows it … I’d vote for Carvajal, and Vinícius too. Maybe Carvajal second.”

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