Real Madrid legend blasts boring Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who is only ‘a good player’
The strangest outrage from the 2024 Ballon d’Or continues as past and present Real Madrid stars seems to have absolutely lost their minds.
On Monday, a late revelation seeing Manchester City man Rodri lifting footballs most prestigious individual award was followed by a boycott from everyone at Real, from players, manager and president Florentino Perez himself.
The news was followed by Ancelotti, as well as Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eder Militao taking to social media, with former Madrid striker Karim Benzema now even getting in on the act.
Benzema won the Ballon d’Or in 2022 after guiding the Spanish giants to Champions League and La Liga success, leaving the club last summer after 14 trophy-laden years in the Spanish capital.
On this years debacle, he said: “I spoke to Vini, he’s sad… it’s also normal. He deserved to win the Ballon d’Or.”
Benzema continued: “I’ve nothing against Rodri, good player… but I’m in my sofa watching TV and Rodri doesn’t do anything that makes you say: wow!”
Now you can argue that the game maybe gone if defensive midfielders are winning the Ballon d’Or, but blasting Rodri and claiming he doesn’t impress the average football fan is complete nonsense.
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Pep Guardiola has had sleepless nights since City announced the Spanish midfielder would be missing the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.
Rodri played an important part in City claiming their fourth successive Premier League title last season, as well as winning the Euro’s with Spain in Germany in the summer.
There’s no denying Vinicius is one of the standout players in the world who you would pay to go and see. Just take his two goals in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund last week: a goal not many today in world football could score, but numbers now play a significant part in the game.
The Brazil international scored just 24 goals in all competitions last season, as well as struggling for form for his country at the Copa America in the summer in a tournament where they were knocked out at the quarter final stage.
The uproar from Madrid makes it seem Vini is entitled to a Ballon d’Or, an award Erling Haaland failed to win despite netting over 30 goals in both of his previous two seasons. If anyone feels an injustice towards them, it’s Haaland, who already has 14 goals this season and has shown no sign of slowing down.
To rub salt in the Real Madrid wounds, ceremony in Paris saw Barcelona stars Lamine Yamal win the Copa trophy, while Aitana Bonmati won her second straight women’s Ballon d’Or award too. Time for Florentino to make some phone calls to UEFA ahead of their next Champions League match.
