It could be an amazing day for Manchester City fans, with Rodri in contention to win the Ballon d’Or tonight over Vinicius Junior.
The Spaniard is firmly in the race to win the ultimate individual prize in football, which has been dominated for years by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
For the first time, both superstars were not on the shortlist for the 2024 award, paving the way for a new face to take the gong.
Manchester City fans are desperate to see Rodri win the Ballon d’Or his year, after Erling Haaland was pipped to the post by Messi last year.
And the star has a superb chance, given his remarkable contributions for both club and country in recent times.
There has already been some chatter on social media that Rodri could be in line to win tonight – and Manchester City News believes he is the only truly deserving winner.
Rodri has been integral for Man City and Spain
Last season, Rodri was utterly out of this world in terms of his performances for City.
He made 50 appearances for the club across all competitions in 2023/24, and did not personally lose a single game until the FA Cup final against Manchester United.
Rodri was his typical solid self in front of the backline, offering protection for the likes of Ruben Dias and John Stones.
But Rodri was pretty much finished every game he played with the most touches and most completed passes, underlining his role as controller for Pep Guardiola.
And to boot, he also scored nine goals and laid on 14 assists – which are outstanding numbers for a defensive midfielder.
Rodri missed four games through suspension, with City losing all of them. That just further emphasised what an integral player he is for the team.
He played a crucial role in City making history by winning a fourth straight Premier League title. He was nominated for PFA Player of the Season, narrowly losing out to teammate Phil Foden.
Rodri also helped City win the UEFA Super Cup, and was player of the match in the Club World Cup final against Fluminense.
And Rodri also had major success for Spain, helping his country to win Euro 2024. Not only that, but Rodri was named Player of the Tournament.
This all came after another outstanding campaign in 2022/23, which culminated in Rodri creating history by scoring the winning goal against Inter in the Champions League final.
Who has backed Rodri for the Ballon d’Or?
It isn’t just Manchester City fans who believe Rodri should win the award tonight.
Recently, legendary former striker Thierry Henry said that Rodri should win the Ballon d’Or over Vinicius Junior, who he felt did not perform at the Copa America in the summer.
German legend Lothar Matthaus also believes Rodri should win the Ballon d’Or, dubbing him ‘the most outstanding player of the year’.
Former Spain international Cesc Fabregas also reckons Rodri should win the Ballon d’Or due to his huge influence for Manchester City.
We will find out in just a few hours whether Rodri has done enough to win. Certainly for City fans, and for football purists, Rodri winning would be a very satisfying result.
While Vinicius Jr also had a fantastic year, Rodri’s remarkable consistency for both club and country – and doing things we have rarely seen a defensive midfielder do before – make him a totally deserving winner.
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