Rodri says he was “surprised” that Cristiano Ronaldo criticized his Ballon d’Or success.
Rodri won the award in October for his role in helping Manchester City win the Premier League and Spain at the European Championship.
The decision sparked a strong reaction from Real Madrid, who boycotted the award ceremony in protest at the fact that Rodri received the trophy instead of Vinicius Jr., and Ronaldo, speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards earlier this month, also felt that the Brazilian winger had been hard done by. .
Ronaldo said: “Vinicius Jr should have won the Ballon d’Or, in my opinion that was clear.
“It was unfair. That’s why I love the Globe Soccer Awards, they’re honest.”
Rodri at the reception for the Golden Ball in #ManCity: “I spoke to Kovacic: he experienced the Ballon d’Or parties in Madrid, but he told me he had never seen anything like it. Very few places treat players like City. I will be ETERNALLY GRATEFUL for what they did!” 🥰 pic.twitter.com/PN75vhxjGN
— City Report (@cityreport_) January 1, 2025
Ronaldo should know better – Rodri
Rodri believes that Ronaldo, as a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, should have a better understanding of how the award is decided.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, the midfielder said: “Well, it was a real surprise, because he knows better than anyone how this award works and, above all, how the winner is chosen.
“This year, the voting journalists decided that I should win.”
“It was probably those same journalists who at some point voted for him to win and I imagine he would have agreed then.”
Rodri admits that winning the award changed his life.
He added: “Maybe I wasn’t aware when I won it, but yes, it changed my life.
“A lot of things I could do before, now, obviously, I can’t. But it’s for a good reason, it’s because of that recognition I got that was so important to me and my family. It’s an unforgettable moment.”
Recovery is going well
Rodri is currently sidelined after tearing his ACL against Arsenal, but remains confident he will play again this season.
“Psychological, [it’s going] much better than i thought. That’s what I imagined in terms of pain,” he said.
“The first month was very complicated, but on a mental level it’s going better than I thought.
“I know myself, I am a person who recovers well, a person with a positive mentality. Everything is going very well. Of course I want to play again this season.”
City struggled without him. Victory at Leicester on Sunday was only their second in 14 games in all competitions and they are sixth in the Premier League.
Don’t panic – Rodri
Rodri believes that such declines are inevitable after long periods of success and does not think it is time to panic.
He said: “It is a time when the team must be united. I know we are in a bad time, a time that may be difficult for us to understand and in which we do not feel good, but at the end of the day, this is part of the sport. You have to get up.
“The good thing is that there is time until the end of the season. Football changes. I don’t think this moment really matters in the end, neither for better nor for worse. You go through phases throughout the year. The seasons are now longer and maturity and calmness are important.
“Obviously, you don’t need to relax or believe that this is going to change overnight. That doesn’t happen in football. It must gradually improve. We are in, I would say, a bit borderline situation. You have to try to win, but don’t panic.”
