Manchester Metropolis midfielder Rodri learn the identical experiences as everybody forward of this 12 months’s Ballon d’Or – that Actual Madrid’s Vinicius Junior appeared to be the overwhelming favorite to win the award.
Vinicius topped the percentages lists forward of the ceremony – on the subject of the Ballon d’Or, they’re very not often fallacious.
Even when Rodri stroked the winner within the Champions League closing and bagged the Treble in 2023, he solely got here fifth, with holding midfielders not often thought-about for the award, regardless of how gifted.
Rodri’s 12 months of glory
In an unique interview with FourFourTwo journal, Rodri defined that he feared the second had handed when he didn’t come near bagging the award a 12 months in the past.
“After the season earlier than, showing in necessary moments, I believed that was the 12 months to possibly problem for it,” he stated.
“I by no means anticipated to repeat it once more, because it’s a matter of many issues – showing in enormous moments, profitable collectively, performing effectively all season. Then 2023-24 got here and it was one other unbelievable 12 months for me.
“I realised that maybe I had some likelihood, however due to all the pieces within the media, it was so clear that the opposite man was profitable and I didn’t anticipate a lot. Within me although, I believed, ‘Effectively, it’s a vote of 100 journalists, let’s wait’.”
Having gained each the Premier League and the Euros, Rodri did in actual fact bag the award, turning into the primary holding midfielder to win the gong since Lothar Matthaus in 1990.
As is at all times the case with such high-profile awards, a world debate raged over whether or not he deserved it.
“A number of gamers deserved it, however what made the distinction in my case was possibly the consistency, and at all times being there from August to July,” he instructed FFT.
“They valued my significance to my nationwide crew and my membership, and in addition the main trophies I gained.
“We will all agree it’s so tough as a holding midfielder, or a full-back or centre again – think about as a keeper…
“My buddies texted me and stated soccer gained. They gave worth to different methods of understanding soccer – as a collective, as a midfielder, because the supervisor on the pitch.
“It’s an honour not only for me, however for all of the midfielders in historical past.”
You possibly can learn the total interview with Rodri about his Ballon d’Or triumph within the particular awards challenge of FourFourTwo journal, on sale Thursday.
