“Unexpected Call: Rodri Hears from Real Madrid Player After Club’s Ballon d’Or Boycott in Support of Vinicius Jr.”
“Rodri Gets Surprising Call from Real Madrid Player After Club’s Boycott of Ballon d’Or Over Vinicius Jr.”
Rodri received a call from a Real Madrid player after narrowly beating Vinicius Jr for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award.
On Monday night, Rodri was announced as the 50th recipient of football’s most prestigious individual honor, selected by 100 journalists from top-ranked FIFA nations who voted him the best player in the world. The announcement came from Ballon d’Or winner George Weah at the 68th edition of the France Football awards in Paris, following a remarkable year in which Rodri helped Manchester City win the Premier League and Spain secure the Euro 2024 title.
Vinicius Jr had been viewed as the frontrunner for the award due to his significant contributions to Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League victories. Reports suggested he had even organized a private celebration and prepared extravagant gifts for his teammates. However, once he learned he wouldn’t win, Vinicius, along with teammates Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and manager Carlo Ancelotti, opted to boycott the ceremony, leaving Real Madrid entirely unrepresented.
This boycott occurred despite France Football’s chief editor, Vincent Garcia, stating that no one from Real Madrid was informed of the results in advance. Many players took to social media to share their thoughts with Vinicius regarding his second-place finish.
Vinicius secured the second spot, followed by Bellingham and Real captain Dani Carvajal, who, alongside Rodri, also played a key role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph. Carvajal acknowledged Vinicius on Instagram while congratulating Rodri, as both players recover from the same ACL injury that has sidelined them for the rest of the season.
“I received a call from Dani Carvajal, who was very happy for me,” Rodri shared in an interview with Movistar, according to The Mirror. “I wanted to acknowledge him because I believe he also deserved it. He shares my values of teamwork, love for the club, and dedication. Our injury has brought us closer together.”
Rodri mentioned Carvajal during his acceptance speech, emphasizing that the award represents a “victory for Spanish football.” Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr addressed his second-place finish on X, stating, “I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready.”
