Rodri says he was “surprised” his Ballon d’Or success was criticized by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Rodry won the award in October for his role in helping Manchester City win the Premier League and Spain the European Championship.
The decision sparked a backlash from Real Madrid, who boycotted the awards ceremony in protest at Rodri receiving the trophy over Vinicius Jr., and Ronaldo, speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards earlier this month, also believed the Brazilian winger was difficult to do.
Ronaldo said: “Vinicius Junior should have won the Ballon d’Or, in my opinion it was clear.
“It was unfair. That’s why I love the Globe Soccer Awards, they’re honest.”
Rodri at his Ballon d’Or reception in #ManCity: “I was talking to Kovacic: he has experienced the Ballon d’Or parties in Madrid, but he told me he had never seen anything like it. Very few places face the players like City. I will be ETERNALLY GRATEFUL for what they did!”. 🥰 pic.twitter.com/PN75vhxjGN
— City Report (@cityreport_) January 1, 2025
Ronaldo should know better – Rodri
Rodri believes Ronaldo, as a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, should have a better understanding of how the award is decided.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, the midfielder said: “Well, it was a surprise, really, because he knows better than anyone how this award works and, above all, how the winner is chosen.
“This year, the voting journalists decided I should win it.
“Probably, those same journalists were the ones who at some point voted for him to win it, and I imagine he would have agreed then.”
Rodri admits that winning the award changed his life.
And he added: “Maybe I didn’t know when I won it, but yes, it changed my life.
“Many things I could do before, now, obviously, not. But it’s for a good reason, it’s because of that recognition that I had that was so important to me and my family. It’s an unforgettable moment.”
Recovery is going well
Rodry is currently sidelined after rupturing his ACL against Arsenal but remains confident of playing again this season.
“Mentally, (it’s going) a lot better than I thought. It’s what I imagined in terms of pain,” he said.
“The first month was very complicated, but mentally it’s going better than I thought.
“I know myself, I’m a person who is recovering well, a person with a positive mindset. Everything is going very well. Of course I want to play again this season.”
City struggled without him. The win at Leicester on Sunday was just their second in 14 games in all competitions and they are sixth in the Premier League.
Don’t panic – Rodri
Rodri believes that such slumps are inevitable after long periods of success and does not think it is time to panic.
He said: “This is a time when the team needs to be united. I know we are in a bad time, a period that can be difficult to understand and in which we do not feel good, but in the end this is part of the sport. You have to get up.
“The good thing is that there is time for the rest of the season. Football is changing. I don’t think this moment is ultimately very important, for better or for worse. You go through phases throughout the year. The seasons are now longer and maturity and calmness are important.
“Obviously, you don’t need to relax or believe that this is going to change overnight. That doesn’t happen in football. It should improve gradually. We are in a situation, I would say, a bit borderline. You have to try to win, but without panicking.”
