Rodri pips Vinicius Jr to clinch men's Ballon d'Or title, Bonmati becomes women's winner

Image Source : REUTERS Rodri and Aitana Bonmati after their respective Ballon d'Or wins

A first non-forward since Luka Modric in 2018, Spain and Manchester City's Rodri pipped a certain Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham, both of Real Madrid, to win his maiden Ballon d' Or title. Having won both the Premier League with City and the European Championship with his country Spain, Rodri had a dream run in the past 12 months, that culminated into him being named the best player in the world.

Having been sidelined from the game due to a long‑term anterior cruciate ligament injury, Rodri walked on crutches to the stage to receive his award. "A very special day, for me, my family and my country," Rodri said.

"Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, for so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like (Andres) Iniesta, Xavi (Hernandez), Iker (Casillas), Sergio Busquets, so many others. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder," Rodri said on the stage after receiving the award.

"Today many friends have written to me and have told me that football has won, for giving visibility to so many midfielders who have a job in the shadows and today it is coming to light.

"I'm a regular guy with values, who studies, who tries to do things right and doesn't try to follow the stereotypes and even so I have been able to get to the top, and it is thanks to all of you."

It was a strange and dramatic end to the evening as despite winning the men's club of the year award, Real Madrid decided to boycott the awards night upon learning the fact that their forward Vinicius Jr, one of the hot favourites, was not going to end up on the podium.

The 28-year-old was the first defensive midfielder to win the Ballon d'Or since Lothar Matthaus in 1990 and the third Spaniard after Alfredo Di Stefano (1957 and 1959) and Luis Suarez (1960).

It was the first time since 2003 that neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi made the final shortlist of 30. Rodri became only the third footballer not named Ronaldo or Messi to win the award since 2008.

Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati won the women's Ballon d'Or for the second consecutive time, becoming the second player to retain her title after fellow Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas. Bonmati played a crucial role in Liga F and Champions League double for Barcelona.