The Manchester City player and the FC Barcelona player were rewarded during the Ballon d’Or ceremony held in Paris on Monday evening.
Spain was in the spotlight during the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday evening at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Among the men, Manchester City midfielder Rodri won his first Ballon d’Or. In recent months, he has won the title of English champion with his club and that of European champion with the Spanish selection.
“It’s a huge honor, the reward for a year at a very high level. I don’t work for it, but it’s a superb reward for the work accomplished”said the player.
Real Madrid, winner of the last Champions League, for its part decided to boycott the ceremony, believing that its Brazilian player Vinicius Jr deserved to win the Ballon d’Or.
Rodri’s teammate in the Spanish selection, the young FC Barcelona prodigy Yamine Lamal, won the Kopa trophy which rewards the best young player of the season.
Bonmati for the double
Among the women, a Spaniard was also rewarded. FC Barcelona player Aitana Bonmati won her second consecutive Ballon d’Or on Monday, after winning La Liga and the Champions League last season.
Another Spaniard, Jenni Hermoso, received the Socrates prize for her fight after being kissed without her consent by the former president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, after Spain’s coronation at the World Cup 2023.