BREAKING Manchester City RODRI, A MIDFIELDER, WINS THE 2024 BALLON D’OR

MANCHESTER CITY MIDFIELDER RODRI WINS 2024 BALLON D’OR This Monday night at Paris’

Théâtre du Châtelet, George Weah awarded Manchester City midfielder Rodri, 28, with the most coveted individual trophy in world football. Since Cristiano Ronaldo’s initial victory as a Manchester United winger in 2008, the Spain international is the first player from Manchester City and the first Premier League player to win the Ballon d’Or. Following in the footsteps of FC Barcelona midfield master Luis Suárez (1960) and Real Madrid great Alfredo Di Stefano (1957, 1959), Rodri wins the first Spanish Men’s Ballon d’Or in the modern age. Rodri has played a crucial role for both his club and his country, helping Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens win the Premier League for an unprecedented fourth time in a row. Despite missing the second half of the final match against England due to injury, Rodrigo “Rodri” Hernandez Cascante was also a key player in Spain’s victory at the 2024 European Championship last summer. In the end, Rodri won Player of the Tournament. The young player for Atletico Madrid is still recuperating from an ACL tear he suffered during Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal at home. After it was revealed that Real Madrid had found out that Brazilian winger Vinicius Jr. would not be the 2024 winner despite having a stellar season with Los Merengues, winning both La Liga and the Champions League, Rodri was set up for success with the Ballon d’Or. Notably, Vinicius Jr. scored Real Madrid’s second goal against Borussia Dortmund, the finalists. Real Madrid has chosen to skip the Paris event, reportedly feeling “disrespected” by the Ballon d’Or organizers and “furious” at Vicinius Jr.’s rejection.