• Rodri beat Vinicius Junior to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or after an excellent year with Manchester City and Spain
• It looked like Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior was going to win the award, but it was not to be
• The silence of his Real Madrid teammates Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe has raised some questions

Manchester City midfielder Rodri beat Vinicius Junior to the 2024 Ballon d’Or award.

The Real Madrid superstar was widely expected to win, but Rodri appeared to have got it just hours before the awards ceremony.

Vinicius Jr Real Madrid teammates Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham have not spoken since the result.

How Rodri won the Ballon d’Or

The 28-year-old Man City star has had a phenomenal season. He led the English side to their fourth consecutive Premier League title and helped Spain win the Euros in Germany.

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Carlo Ancelotti released a “powerful” statement seconds after Rodri won the Ballon d’Or

He became the first Premier League player to win Golden Ball since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008.

“A very special day, for me, my family and my country,” Rodri said via the outlet ESPN. “I understand that because I don’t have social networks, people don’t know me much. I’m just a normal guy. I like sports, I like my profession.

Rodri is the first midfielder to win the Luka Modric award from Croatia in 2018. Furthermore, he is the fourth Spaniard to win the award.

Mbappe and Bellingham are silent

Vinicius Jr was expected to win the award after a great season with Real Madrid. He helped his club win La Liga and the Champions League last season.

Many felt the Brazilian did done enough to win the prestigious award, but it seems his form for his country has been the biggest undoing.

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Vinicius Jr breaks silence after finishing second behind Rodri at 2024 Ballon d’Or

Bellingham and Mbappe finished third and sixth respectively, but still haven’t broken their silence since the loss of Vinicius Jr. Some fans have noticed.

@FCBJimmy_:

“The happiest person now lives in Madrid and his name is Kylian Mbappé.”

@pallnandi:

“Mbappé in dressing room, claiming to be devastated that Vini doesn’t win Ballon d’Or”.

@MusialaEra:

“The best thing is that there will be a civil war in the Madrid dressing room this season, with Mbappe Bellingham Vinicius sabotaging everyone on the pitch to win the Ballon d’Or. Oh, this battle of egos and the fall of Madrid is going to be top notch comedy.”

How much do Ballon d’Or winners get?

TUKO.co.ke also reported how much Rodri will get after winning the Ballon d’Or.

It may be the most lucrative individual award in football, but the winner receives no cash prize.

Source: TUKO.co.ke