Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world on Monday, beating Brazil’s Vinicius Jr and England’s Jude Bellingham, both of Real Madrid, to the prestigious prize.
Barcelona’s Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the women’s award for a second time.
Rodri, a first-time winner of the award, was instrumental in helping his team win an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League trophy last season.
He was also named best player at this year’s European Championship after Spain lifted a record-extending fourth title.
The 28-year-old Madrid native is the first defensive midfielder to win the Ballon d’Or since Lothar Matthaus in 1990 and the third Spaniard to claim the prize after Alfredo Di Stefano (1957 and 1959) and Luis Suarez (1960).
While the award has been dominated by Spanish league players, no Spaniard has won since Barcelona great Luis Suarez more than 60 years ago, despite Spain’s “golden generation” that won the 2010 World Cup, the 2008 and 2012 Euros.
But Rodri, the player City coach Pep Guardiola said is “the best midfielder in the world”, finally ended that run with a unique skill set that has made his club the dominant force in England and helped Spain rule Europe again.
Rodri became the third person not named Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the award since 2008.
It was the first time since 2003 in which neither Messi nor Ronaldo made the final 30-man list of nominees.
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