Former Manchester City defender delivers major verdict on Ballon d’Or battle between Rodri and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr | OneFootball

Former Manchester City defender Sergio Gomez has now delivered his verdict on the battle between Rodri and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award.

The Spanish youth international full-back first joined the reigning Premier League champions in the summer of 2022, going on to make a total of 38 appearances for the club during his time at the Etihad Stadium.

Sergio Gomez’s two-year stay at his boyhood club Manchester City was brought to an end during the most recent summer transfer window, joining La Liga outfit Real Sociedad for a reported £8.4 million transfer fee.

Speaking recently to ESPN, Sergio Gomez expressed his opinion on who should win the upcoming Ballon d’Or, with debate intensifying within the football community as to whether one figure from within the Etihad Stadium should claim the prize.

The left-sided player suggests that Manchester City’s defensive midfield star Rodri deserves to win the award and even suggests that another of Pep Guardiola’s players, likely to be Erling Halaand, should have won it previously.

Rodri was a key figure for the Spain international side during their European Championships triumph over the summer, and also helped lead Manchester City to their fourth Premier League title in a row.

However, Sergio Gomez has also explained that that Real Madrid and Brazil international superstar, Vinicius Jr will be the most likely winner if Rodri is overlooked due to his “great season” with the Spanish giants.

“I would like Rodri to win the Ballon d’Or because, well, in the end, he deserves it,” the 24-year-old told ESPN.

“I think a City player deserved it two years ago, and he couldn’t win it because Messi won it.”

Gomez continued, “And this year, I hope a City player can win it, but it is true that if one of them doesn’t win it, it will most likely be Vinicius because of the great season he’s having and all of the good seasons he has been reaping at Real Madrid.”

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner will be revealed on Monday, October 28, with the showpiece ceremony set to begin at 19:00 GMT at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France, which can host around 2,500 spectators.

In 2023, Manchester City forward Erling Haaland came in second place behind then-Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina international forward, Lionel Messi – who won the FIFA World Cup in the previous year.