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Manchester City’s star midfielder Rodri, considered one of the favorites to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or, was ranked fourth in a recently held fan vote on the official Ballon d’Or website. The Spaniard, who is currently sidelined due to a ligament injury, received just 6.6% of the votes from football supporters.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or award ceremony will take place in Paris on October 28. While Rodri and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior are expected to be among the top contenders, players like Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe are also in contention.
Unsurprisingly, Vinicius led the fan vote on the official France Football website, securing 64.6% votes. He played a crucial role in Los Blancos’ success last season, contributing 24 goals and nine assists as they won both La Liga and the Champions League.
Second in the voting was a somewhat surprising name, Lautaro Martinez. The Inter Milan striker garnered 8.2% of the vote after an impressive season, where he scored 27 goals for his club, while also helping Argentina win the Copa America for the second consecutive time.
Third on the list was Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, who also received 8.2% of the vote. Bellingham had a standout season, providing 36 goal contributions for his club and scoring twice in the Euros to help England reach the finals.
Rodri, who won the Premier League with Manchester City and the Euros with Spain, was ranked fourth, a surprising result given that he was named Player of the Tournament at the Euros and played a key role in City’s record-breaking season.
The final name on the list was fellow Spaniard Lamine Yamal, who received 4.6% of the votes. The 17-year-old winger was instrumental in La Roja’s success and is also a strong contender for the 2024 Kopa Trophy.
Rodri described winning the Ballon d’Or as a ‘dream’
It was undoubtedly a year to remember for Rodri. Not only did he fulfill his responsibilities defensively, but he also contributed crucial goals for Manchester City, finishing the season with nine goals and 14 assists - a remarkable tally for a defensive midfielder.
Speaking about his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or, the 28-year-old expressed his delight at simply being in the conversation for such a prestigious award last month.
"Yes, of course it would be a dream for me. There are a lot of people who say if Rodri is going to win it, how, for example, did [Andres] Iniesta or Xavi not win it? In part, I agree," Rodri said.
"Just being in the conversation makes me very proud of the work I’ve put in. But imagine for me, to be in the conversation that the people when I walk into the street, they say to me, you going to win the Ballon d’Or, you deserve it, and for me, that means I am already a winner with this," he added (via India Today) .
After an impressive season, Rodri’s campaign this year was abruptly cut short by a season-ending injury sustained against Arsenal. He is not expected to return until next June, which will certainly be a significant loss for both Manchester City and Spain.
