Real Madrid snub Ballon d’Or after Rodri crowned winner

Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the men’s Ballon d’Or and Barcelona playmaker Aitana Bonmati took the women’s award as a ‘disrespected’ Real Madrid boycotted the prestigious ceremony in Paris despite being named men’s club of the year. Rodri beat the Real Madrid trio of Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal and Jude Bellingham to the top honour, and that verdict from the 100-strong panel of voters led the delegation from the Spanish giants to stay at home. As a result, there was nobody on hand to collect the men’s club of the year award, Carlo Ancelotti could not accept the men’s coach of the year award, and Kylian Mbappe was not there to take his share of the Gerd Muller trophy alongside Harry Kane.

Not that Rodri cared about that as recognition came for the defensive midfielder at the end of a year in which he helped Spain to glory at the Euros while also lifting the Premier League trophy for a fourth consecutive season with City. The 28-year-old was helped on to the stage on crutches after his season-ending knee ligament injury. Speaking in Spanish, Rodri said: “I have so many things to thank people for.

First of all to France Football and to UEFA for giving me this award. I would like to thank those who voted for me and put their trust in me. Today is a very special day for me and for my family, my country.

“I would like to thank the most important person in the world for me, my girlfriend Laura. Today is our anniversary and without her things wouldn’t have been the same. Thank you.

“Also my family, of course. The values they have taught me and all they represent in me, for having taught me the right steps to take and for helping be become the man I am..

. “I don’t want to forget my team-mates, I understand it is a group game. Manchester City is so special, I know I wouldn’t make this without you.

For me it is the best club in the world, and thanks to them things happen much easier. “The national team and Luis (de la Fuente, coach), for trusting me for so long, I have to mention my team-mates with whom we won the Euros. This is not just for me but for Spanish football.

” 11:00 PM GMT The best in the world 10:48 PM GMT Rodri’s team mate Ilkay Gundogan reacts From today on he is finally not 'underrated' anymore 😜 Congratulations to my teammate Rodri on wining the Ballon d'Or! For me this is very well deserved! I'm especially happy that someone on a defensive position is winning this title and not always just the offensive players!...

— Ilkay Gündogan (@IlkayGuendogan) 10:40 PM GMT In case you need a reminder about why Rodri is a worthy winner 🔵 's midfield maestro. Here are some of Rodri's best moments from last season that earned him one of world football's greatest prizes, the Ballon d'Or 🏆 — Premier League (@premierleague) 10:30 PM GMT Tonight’s winners Rodri Aitana Bonmati Lamine Yamal Carlo Ancelotti Emma Hayes Emiliano Martinez Real Madrid Barcelona Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe 10:21 PM GMT Vinicius Junior reacts: ‘I’ll do it 10 times if I have to. They’re not ready’ Eu farei 10x se for preciso.

Eles não estão preparados. — Vini Jr. (@vinijr) 10:12 PM GMT Rodri reacts Incredible night for me tonight.

I’ve so many thanks to so many people. For France Football and UEFA, and for those who voted for me, who put their trust in me. It is very special for me, and my family, for the values they have taught me.

For helping me become the man I am. Who would have thought I’d be here? This is a victory for Spanish football. When I was 17-year-old I packed up my suitcases and I went to Villarreal with a dream to work in the Premier League, and one day I called my father crying telling him it was all over and that I had invested my life to get here and I had the feeling that, this was it.

My father said we had come all the way here, let’s keep going and this is something that changed my mindset and now, here I am. I am a normal boy who never gets carried away with stereotypes. Hard work is what matters.

10:08 PM GMT Carlo Ancelotti reacts to his win tonight I want to thank my Family, my President, my Club, my Players and above all Vini and Carvajal. — Carlo Ancelotti (@MrAncelotti) 10:05 PM GMT Vinicius Junior’s team mate Eduardo Camavinga reacts 09:58 PM GMT First Premier League winner since 2008 Rodri has ended England’s long wait for a Ballon d’Or winner. The last player was Cristiano Ronaldo.

09:52 PM GMT An outstanding season for Rodri Rodri won the Premier League, Super Cup, Club World Cup and European Championship. He was named player of the tournament at the Euros, selected in the PFA team of the year and holds the longest unbeaten streak in club football with 74 matches. Fully deserved recognition 09:47 PM GMT Rodri is 2024 Ballon d’Or winner The Manchester City midfielder has done it.

A huge upset. Many expected Vinicius Junior to do it but the Spain international claims the top prize. Rodri is currently injured after knee surgery so he need crutches and support from Drogba to get on the stage.

09:39 PM GMT Tenth award of the night - Men’s Ballon d’Or George Weah, the only African player to ever win the Ballon d’Or, is on stage to present the award. The winner will come from these four players - Rodri, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham or Dani Carvajal. And the final three names are not at the ceremony.

09:35 PM GMT Aitana Bonmati, the world’s best 11 - Aitana Bonmatí was the player with the most goal involvements (11, six goals and five assists) in the UEFA Women's Champions League 2023/24, being also co-leader in assists in the competition along with Caroline Graham Hansen and scoring in the final against Lyon. Top. — OptaJose (@OptaJose) 09:23 PM GMT Real Madrid are angry No acknowledgement of Real being named club of the year and Carlo Ancelotti’s coach of the year award on their website.

They are very mad which is very petty and funny. 09:15 PM GMT Ninth award of the night - Women’s Ballon d’Or Actor Natalie Portman is here to present the award. And the winner is for the second year in a row.

.. Barcelona and Spain’s Aitana Bonmati! Caroline Graham Hansen 2nd, Salma Paralluelo 3rd and Sophia Smith 4th.

Thank you for the applause, as always I say I can’t be here alone, I’m very fortunate to play with amazing players. I always say this is not something that you can do alone, I’m so lucky to be surrounded by wonderful players who help me to keep growing into a better player. So thank you to my teammates because without them I wouldn’t be here, I would also like to thank my club and Joan Laporta.

09:11 PM GMT Eighth award of the night - Men’s Coach of the Year The nominees are Xabi Alonso (Leverkusen), Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Luis de la Fuente (Spain), Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) and Lionel Scaloni (Argentina). And the winner is..

. Real’s Carlo Ancelotti! But he is not there to receive. Drogba admits he is disappointed that his former coach is not in Paris.

So awkward! 09:09 PM GMT Seventh award of the night - Women’s Coach of the Year The nominees are Sonia Bompastor (Lyon/Chelsea), Arthur Elias (Corinthians/Brazil), Jonatan Giráldez (Barcelona), Emma Hayes (Chelsea/USA); Filipa Patão (Benfica) and Sarina Wiegman (England). And the winner is..

. She won the WSL in her final season with Chelsea and Olympic gold with USA. I’m very honoured.

My family are very proud to be in this position. I am a little embarrassed as this is a team game. I am so honoured to coach incredible teams at Chelsea and USA.

This is a very proud day. 09:00 PM GMT Men’s Ballon d’Or rankings - 7th to 5th Countdown continues for the top men’s award of the night. 7.

Lautaro Martinez 6. Kylian Mbappe 5. Erling Haaland 08:59 PM GMT Sixth award of the night - Socrates award For her exemplary humanitarian work, advocacy for women’s football and against sexual harassment in the game, the award to given to Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso.

Jennifer Hermoso is the winner of the 2024 Socrates Award! Congrats, 👑 with — Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) 08:54 PM GMT Women’s Ballon d’Or rankings - 7th to 5th Countdown continues for the top women’s award of the night. 7. Marie-Antoinette Katoto 6.

Mallory Swanson 5. Lindsey Horan 08:53 PM GMT Martinez reacts First of all, thank you all very much. It’s an honour to be back.

I’d like to thank my colleagues, my teammates at Aston Villa. They all know how demanding I am. I come from a very humble place and this is something that makes me want to do better and improve.

It is the group effort that makes things happen. 08:47 PM GMT Fifth award of the night - The Yashin Trophy The nominees are Diogo Costa, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Gregor Kobel, Andriy Lunin, Mike Maignan, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Emiliano Martínez, Unai Simón, Yann Sommer and Ronwen Williams. And the winner is.

.. Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martínez.

Back-to-back winner of the award. I’m not convinced Martinez is the best in the Premier League, let alone the world. 08:44 PM GMT Madrid boycott Real Madrid cancelled their delegation’s plans to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony at the last minute as the club understand that their Brazil forward Vinicius Junior will not win the award, according to Reuters.

Vinicius, the Champions League player of the year, was the heavy odds-on favourite to claim his first Ballon d’Or, which is presented to the best player in the world, ahead of Manchester City’s Spain midfielder Rodri, 28, and Real’s England international Jude Bellingham. But so far tonight there has been no presence from the Spanish club. It means Carlo Ancelotti won’t collect coach of the year award if he wins.

08:38 PM GMT Men’s Ballon d’Or rankings - 10th to 8th 10. Harry Kane 9. Toni Kroos 8.

Lamine Yamal 08:30 PM GMT Kane reacts Thank you to my club Bayern Munich, all my staff, teammates, for helping me score all the goals I scored. It’s an honour to take this award from a club legend, thank you very much. 08:25 PM GMT Fourth award of the night - The Gerd Müller trophy This is for the best striker and the winner is.

...

Harry Kane AND Kylian Mbappe. Kane walks up to collect his award but with Madrid boycotting the event, Mbappe is not there. Yikes! 08:20 PM GMT Beckenbauer tribute A video tribute now for German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, who died in January.

Beckenbauer’s wife Heidi and Joel come out with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and share their personal memories of the World Cup winner. A tribute to The Kaizer, Franz Beckenbauer! 👑🇩🇪 — Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) 08:17 PM GMT Awkward delays Sound issues mean we’ve already had some weird pauses as guests and presenters can’t hear each other. Drogba is stood there trying to smile through the awkwardness.

08:14 PM GMT Third award of the night - Men’s Club of the Year The nominees are Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Girona, Manchester City and Real Madrid. And the prize goes to Real after winning the Champions League and La Liga but incredibly there is nobody at the ceremony to collect the award. They have reportedly snubbed the event amid suggestion Vinicius Junior will not win the men’s prize.

08:11 PM GMT Women’s Ballon d’Or rankings - 10th to 8th Countdown begins for the top women’s award of the night. 10. Alexia Putellas 9.

Trinity Rodman 8. Mariona Caldentey 08:08 PM GMT Second award of the night - Women’s Club of the Year The nominees are Barcelona, Chelsea, Lyon, NJ/NY Gotham and Paris Saint-Germain. And Barcelona are the winners.

President Joan Laporta and Alexia Putellas come on to the stage to accept. 08:02 PM GMT Lamine Yamal wins No shock here. The Barcelona forward has had an outstanding year and he’s only 17 and 107 days old.

He is the youngest player to play and score for Spain. Youngest to play, score and win at a European Championship. And the youngest to win this prize.

07:56 PM GMT First award of the night - Kopa Trophy Ruud Gullit comes out and will present the Kopa Trophy. These are the contenders - Pau Cubarsí, Alejandro Garnacho, Arda Guler, Karim Konaté, Kobbie Mainoo, João Neves, Savinho, Mathys Tel, Lamine Yamal and Warren Zaïre-Emery. Lamine Yamal has his name all over this I reckon.

.. 07:53 PM GMT The ceremony has begun! Time for lots of long speeches, video compilations and awkward banter.

.. 07:49 PM GMT Big name arrivals in Paris 07:39 PM GMT WATCH: Rodri arrives on crutches Rodri from ! — Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) 07:35 PM GMT Haaland snubs Ballon d’Or Erling Haaland won’t be in the room when the Ballon d’Or is awarded after he preferred a trip to Sweden where his friend Erik Botheim can win the league with Malmo FF.

The 24-year-old Manchester City striker was spotted in Malmo this evening ahead of their game against bitter rivals IFK Gothenburg, where a victory would give them their second straight Allsvenskan title and fourth in five years. Haaland and Botheim became friends while playing for Norway’s junior national team, and they also featured in a rap video together with Erik Sandberg that has been viewed more than 12 million times on YouTube. 07:28 PM GMT Tonight’s hosts Sandy Heribert and Didier Drogba have arrived Your hosts of the Ballon d'Or Ceremony.

.. Sandy Heribert & Didier Drogba ! — Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) 07:18 PM GMT One of these 10 players will win the men’s Ballon d’Or Jude Bellingham Dani Carvajal Erling Haaland Harry Kane Toni Kroos Lautaro Martínez Kylian Mbappe Rodri Vinícius Júnior Lamine Yamal 07:11 PM GMT Plenty of Premier League recognition in the rankings so far =29 Mats Hummels (Roma/Germany) =29 Artem Dovbyk (Roma/Ukraine) 28 Alejandro Grimaldo (Leverkusen/Spain) 27.

Vitinha (PSG/Portugal) 22. Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid/Germany) 20. Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter/Turkey) 17.

Federico Valverde (Real Madrid/Uruguay) 16. Granit Xhaka (Leverkusen/Switzerland) 15. Nico Williams (Athletic/Spain) 14.

Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/Nigeria) 13. Dani Olmo (Barcelona/Spain) 12. Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen/Germany) 06:56 PM GMT England and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane has arrived 👋 ! 📸 — FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) 06:48 PM GMT Garnacho looking glum after his club manager was sacked 06:40 PM GMT What prizes will be awarded tonight? The Men’s Ballon d’Or The Women’s Ballon d’Or The Kopa Trophy Pau Cubarsí, Alejandro Garnacho, Arda Guler, Karim Konaté, Kobbie Mainoo, João Neves, Savinho, Mathys Tel, Lamine Yamal andWarren Zaïre-Emery The Yashin Trophy Diogo Costa, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Gregor Kobel, Andriy Lunin, Mike Maignan, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Emiliano Martínez, Unai Simón, Yann Sommer and Ronwen Williams The Men’s Coach of the Year trophy Xabi Alonso (Leverkusen), Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Luis de la Fuente (Spain), Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) and Lionel Scaloni (Argentina) The Women’s Coach of the Year trophy Sonia Bompastor (Lyon/Chelsea), Arthur Elias (Corinthians/Brazil), Jonatan Giráldez (Barcelona), Emma Hayes (Chelsea/USA); Filipa Patão (Benfica) and Sarina Wiegman (England).

The Men’s Club of the Year trophy Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Girona, Manchester City and Real Madrid The Women’s Club of the Year trophy Barcelona, Chelsea, Lyon, NJ/NY Gotham and Paris Saint-Germain The Gerd Müller trophy 06:29 PM GMT 2024 Ballon d’Or Hello and welcome to coverage for tonight’s 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony with several award up for grabs. The men’s and women’s best player are the most coveted titles at stake with Man City’s Rodri battling against Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. “Vinicius had an incredible season where he was a key player.

.. he proved he’s the best player in the world,” Madrid team mate Lucas Vazquez said.

Rodri, who City manager Pep Guardiola has called “the best midfielder in the world”, was instrumental in helping his team win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League trophy last season and was named best player at this year’s European Championship after Spain lifted a record-extending fourth title. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo won football’s most prestigious individual award a combined 13 times over a 16-year period of unprecedented dominance. This year, neither has been nominated.

Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal make up a field of contenders who could challenge for years to come. The only other winners since Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 were Luka Modric in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022. Both were born in the 1980s.

The Ballon d’Or was created by France Football magazine and has been awarded since 1956. It is voted for by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings. Each journalist, one per country, selects 10 players in ranked order, with points attributed to each position.

The winner is the player who receives the most points. On the women’s side, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won the 2023 award and is among the favorites again this year. She is set to face competition from Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo, who are team mates at Barcelona — the Champions League winner and Spanish champions.

Stay with us for all the build up and updates!.