PA Media/dpa
London
Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the men’s Ballon d’Or and Barcelona playmaker Aitana Bonmati took the women’s award as a “disrespected” Real Madrid boycotted the prestigious ceremony in Paris despite being named men’s club of the year.
Rodri beat the Real Madrid trio of Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal and Jude Bellingham to the top honour, and that verdict from the 100-strong panel of voters led the delegation from the Spanish giants to stay at home.
As a result, there was nobody on hand to collect the men’s club of the year award, Carlo Ancelotti could not accept the men’s coach of the year award, and Kylian Mbappe was not there to take his share of the Gerd Muller trophy alongside Harry Kane.
Not that Rodri cared about that as recognition came for the defensive midfielder at the end of a year in which he helped Spain to glory at the Euros while also lifting the Premier League trophy for a fourth consecutive season with City.
The 28-year-old was helped on to the stage on crutches after his season-ending knee ligament injury.
Speaking in Spanish, Rodri said: “I have so many things to thank people for. First of all to France Football and to UEFA for giving me this award. I would like to thank those who voted for me and put their trust in me. Today is a very special day for me and for my family, my country.”
Bonmati won the women’s award for a second year running as Barcelona, who lifted the Champions League trophy for a third time in four years, completed a clean sweep of the top three places, rounded out by Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo.
Real Madrid had somewhat signalled Rodri’s success before the ceremony began as their delegation cancelled their trip to the French capital.
In a statement reported by Spanish newspaper AS, the club said: “If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to (Dani) Carvajal as the winner.
“As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or does not respect Real Madrid. Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
Yet Madrid finished the night with two awards and a share of a third, and with four players in the top six in the final ranking for the men’s Ballon d’Or - Vinicius, Bellingham, Carvajal and Kylian Mbappe, who finished sixth in the voting, one place behind Rodri’s team-mate Erling Haaland.
Mbappe and Kane shared the Gerd Muller trophy after both players finished last season with 52 goals.
“Thank you to my club Bayern Munich, all my staff, team-mates, for helping me score all the goals I scored,” the England captain said.
“It’s an honour to take this award from a club legend (Karl-Heinz Rummenigge), thank you very much.”
There was little surprise when the Kopa Trophy - awarded to the best male player under the age of 21 - went to Barcelona’s teenage star Yamine Lamal.
The forward became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the European Championships when, four days shy of his 17th birthday, he scored for Spain in their 2-1 semi-final win over France, before going on to lift the trophy.
