Manchester City midfielder Rodri sent a clear message to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior after the latter decided to reject his ticket to the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris last month.
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Rodri claimed he “didn’t behave” like Vinicius.
Vinicius played a key role in Real Madrid’s Champions League, La Liga and Spanish Super Cup wins last season and was seen as the sure favourite for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
However, leaks ahead of the Ballon d’Or ceremony suggested that Rodri could win the award after a stellar year with Manchester City and Spain.
Recall that the 28-year-old midfielder won both the Premier League and Euro 2024. As a result, Vinicius and the Real Madrid delegation cancelled their trip to Paris in protest at the winger’s failure to receive the award ahead of Rodri.
Rodri told France Football: “It’s good to come here when your worth is recognised at a very high level, whether you win the final or not.
“The collective aspect is also important. For example, Erling [Haaland] had a better chance of winning last year. I wanted to come here to support him in a special moment. “So when I decided to come here, my main concern was to enjoy this great evening.”
When asked specifically about Vinicius’ decision to cancel the event, Rodri responded:
“Wouldn’t it have been better if everyone had been there?” Of course it would have been.
“The second, third, fourth, etc. were all missing… You have to respect everyone’s decision, even if I wouldn’t have acted the same way.”