Trendvoyager Posted October 29 Share Posted October 29 In a landmark moment for Spanish football, Manchester City's Rodri and Barcelona's Aitana Bonmatí captured the prestigious Ballon d'Or awards at Paris's Theatre du Chatelet, marking an extraordinary achievement for their nation. Rodri's Breakthrough Triumph Despite arriving on crutches due to an ACL injury, Manchester City's midfield maestro Rodri created history by claiming his first Ballon d'Or. The 28-year-old's exceptional year, highlighted by his instrumental role in Spain's European Championship victory and Manchester City's success, earned him this coveted recognition. His victory over favorites like Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham underscored the impact of his consistent excellence throughout the season. Final Rankings: The Top 10 The final standings for the 2024 Ballon d'Or reflected an intriguing mix of established stars and emerging talents: Rodri (Spain and Manchester City) Vinicius Jr (Brazil and Real Madrid) Jude Bellingham (England and Real Madrid) Dani Carvajal (Spain and Real Madrid) Erling Haaland (Norway and Manchester City) Kylian Mbappé (France and PSG/Real Madrid) Lautaro Martinez (Argentina and Inter Milan) Lamine Yamal (Spain and Barcelona) Toni Kroos (Germany and Real Madrid) Harry Kane (England and Bayern Munich) Bonmatí's Continued Dominance Barcelona's midfield genius Aitana Bonmatí reinforced her status as women's football's leading light by securing her second consecutive Ballon d'Or Feminin. Her remarkable season saw her guide Barcelona to multiple titles, including Liga F, Champions League, Supercopa, and Copa de la Reina. Bonmati's gracious acceptance speech emphasized the collective nature of her achievements, highlighting her teammates' crucial role in her success. Real Madrid's Protest The evening was marked by controversy as Real Madrid chose to boycott the ceremony, despite their player Vinicius Jr finishing second in the rankings. The club's absence and subsequent social media response highlighted their strong stance against what they perceived as an oversight of their Brazilian star's achievements. Celebrating Excellence Across Categories The ceremony honored excellence across various categories: Kopa Trophy (Best U-21 Player): Lamine Yamal Gerd Muller Trophy (Top Scorers): Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé (joint winners) Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper): Emiliano Martinez Socrates Award: Jenni Hermoso Coaching Excellence: Emma Hayes (Women's) and Carlo Ancelotti (Men's) The 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony will be remembered as a defining moment for Spanish football, with Rodri and Bonmatí's historic victories highlighting the nation's growing dominance in the beautiful game. Their triumphs tell a compelling story of excellence, dedication, and the evolution of Spanish football philosophy on both domestic and international stages. What do you think of this year's results? Did Rodri truly deserve to edge out Vinicius Jr and Bellingham for the top spot? And has Bonmatí's second consecutive win cemented her status as the greatest in women's football? https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/ce8yevg34v1o https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/28/sport/rodri-aitana-bonmati-win-ballon-dor-spt-intl/index.html https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/ballon-dor-awards-live-stream-vinicius-jr-rodri-b2636743.html Image: Chbm89 | Dreamstime.com, Vasilis Ververidis | Dreamstime.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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