Rodri joins elite club with 2024 winpublished at 11:45 British Summer Time
11:45 BST
Image source, Getty Images
Only three players other than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won the Ballon d’Or since 2008.
Messi and Ronaldo won the award 14 times over 16 years between 2008 and 2023.
Luka Modric ended their dominance by winning the 2018 prize after guiding Real Madrid to a third successive Champions League title and Croatia to a first World Cup final that year.
Karim Benzema earned the award in 2022 while in 2024, Rodri, who lost just one game during the 2023-24 season for club and country, became the first Spanish player to win the men’s award since 1960 and the first Premier League player to win the award since Ronaldo in 2008.
Rodri helped Spain win Euro 2024 and also won the Premier League, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup with Manchester City in 2023-24.
Rodri, claimed the award ahead of Real Madrid and Brazil winger Vinicius Jr and his team-mate Jude Bellingham who was third.