Rodri beats Vinicius, Bellingham to Ballon d'Or main prize
Manchester City's Rodri has been named as the 2024 Ballon d 'Or winner.
Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri has won the men's Ballon d'Or - awarded to the best footballer of the year - for the first time.
The rumours have been proven right as France Football announced Manchester City star Rodri as the 2024 Ballon d'Or award winner.
The 28-year-old midfielder had an impressive season for Manchester City, winning the Premier League and reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League. In the off-season, he led Spain to their fourth European Championships and got the Player of the Tournament to boot.
The voices tipping Real Madrid's Vinicius for the award were the loudest, at least on social media; hence, when the news broke hours before the gala that the Brazil international would not be taking the prize, fans were left gobsmacked.
After hour of waiting in bated breath for the main event of the night, the football world got confirmation that the earlier reports were true, as the 1995 winner of the award, Liberia’s George Weah, announced and presented the award to Rodri.
Full list of Ballon d'Or top 30 placement
30. Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)
29. Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
28. Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
27. Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
26. Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
25. Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea)
24. William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
23. Rúben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
22. Antonio Rüdiger (Germany, Real Madrid)
21. Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
20. Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Turkey, Inter)
19. Martin Ødegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
18. Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
17. Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)
16. Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)
15. Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Club)
14. Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)
13. Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig / Barcelona)
12. Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)
11. Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
10. Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich)
9. Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid)
8. Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
7. Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter)
6. Kylian Mbappé (France, Paris Saint-Germain / Real Madrid)
5. Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
4. Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid)
3. Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
2. Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)
1. Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
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