Rodri picked up the Ballon d’Or on Monday night with Real Madrid left fuming that Vinicius Jnr was overlooked.
Many expected the Brazilian, who had scored in the Champions League final, to cap a great year for Los Blancos but he was beaten to the individual award. That news leaked out during the day and the Spanish giants chose not to send anyone to the ceremony in Paris despite having four of the top six finishers.
It meant that Jude Bellingham, who finished in third, Dani Carvajal in fourth and sixth placed Kylian Mbappe were both absent at the awards. Lamine Yamal’s rapid rise continued and the Barcelona star became the youngest ever player to finish in the top ten, eventually coming home in eighth.
The winger, who also helped Spain win Euro 2024, did leave with the Kopa Trophy and is tipped as a future Ballon d’Or winner. His Barcelona and Spain team-mate Dani Olmo came home in 13th.
Real Madrid were named the Men’s Club of the Year, but no one connected to the club was present at the Ballon d’Or ceremony. Carlo Ancelotti too was recognised after winning another Champions League.
Harry Kane’s stellar debut year with Bayern Munich was recognised as the England striker was given the Gerd Muller Trophy. The legendary German striker remains a legend at Bayern and an accolade bearing his name goes out to the player in Europe who scored the most goals.
He shared the gong with Mbappe, but the Frenchman wasn’t present. Kane was named 10th in the Ballon d’Or, making him the second highest Englishman on the list behind Bellingham.
Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez landed another of the evening’s individual awards – the Yashin Trophy. The Argentine helped the Midlands club make the Champions League and was also a Copa America winner, which eventually helped him finish 18th in the Ballon d’Or.
Ballon d’Or 2024 order in full
=29th – Artem Dovbyk ( Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)
=29th – Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
27th – Vitinha (Portugal, PSG)
26th – Declan Rice (England, Arsenal )
25th – Cole Palmer (England, Manchester City / Chelsea )
24th – William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
23rd – Ruben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
22nd – Antonio Rudiger (Germany, Real Madrid)
21st – Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
20th – Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey, Inter Milan)
19th – Martin Odegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
18th – Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
17th – Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)
16th – Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)
15th – Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Bilbao)
14th – Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)
13th – Dani Olmo (Spain, RB Leipzig / Barcelona)
12th – Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)
11th – Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
10th – Harry Kane (England Bayern Munich)
9th – Toni Kross (Germany, Real Madrid / now retired)
8th – Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
7th – Lautaro Martinez (Argentina, Inter Milan)
6th – Kylian Mbappe (France, PSG / Real Madrid)
5th – Erling Haaland (Norway / Manchester City)
4th – Dani Carvajal (Spain / Real Madrid)
3rd – Jude Bellingham (England / Real Madrid)
2nd – Vinicius Jnr (Brazil / Real Madrid)
1st – Rodri (Spain / Manchester City)
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