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Manchester City’s midfield star Rodri today lifted football’s biggest individual prize the Ballon d’OR at a glittering award function in Paris.
The 28-year-old, who lost just one game last season for club and country, was awarded the prize after helping Spain win Euro 2024 in July.
He also won the Premier League, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup with City.
Rodri is the first player in the club’s history to win the Ballon d’Or.
Rodri who is currently out for the rest of the season through injury, beat Real Madrid and Brazil superstar winger Vinicius Junior to the award.
Real Madrid won the award for club of the year and their manager Carlo Ancelotti was the winner of the men’s coach of the year award, but there was no-one from the club present to receive the prizes.
Vinicius and his Real Madrid team-mates boycotted the awards after it was leaked that Rodri would cop the prize.
It was a fantastic night for Spanish football as Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second year in a row.
Bonmati won every possible trophy at club level last season as Barcelona secured a historic quadruple – winning Liga F, the Champions League, Supercopa and Copa de la Reina.
The 26-year-old scored a career-best tally of 19 goals across all four competitions.
Emma Hayes became the first winner of the women’s coach of the year award after leading Chelsea to a fifth straight Women’s Super League title before guiding the United States to Olympic gold at Paris 2024.
Jamaica’s Khadija Shaw was one of the nominees for the female award.
English (US) ·