The Ballon d’Or, an award designed to recognize football’s most dominant player, always comes with an element of controversy. This year, the discourse around Rodrithe victory over Vinícius illustrates the difficulties in defining the impact of one player on that of another.. Rodri, who was instrumental in City’s historic treble-winning season, earned his recognition by excelling in both club and international play, underlining his influence on a deeply talented team.

With Rodri becoming the second Spanish player to win the Ballon d’Or, this year’s award has created unique tensions and left Real Madrid disappointed and vocal about the result. His victory marked a momentous achievement for Spanish football, making him the second Spanish player to take home the Ballon d’Or. city ​​of manchesterThe victory was a source of pride, especially given the tense relations with Real Madrid, notably absent from the ceremony in Paris. The Spanish giants were hoping that Vinicius Júnior would take the title, with club president Florentino Pérez even planning to send a large delegation to the event.

However, according to reports, as soon as Madrid management discovered that Vinicius would not be winningThey canceled the planned Parisian festivities. Pérez canceled a five-hour broadcast initially scheduled for the club’s official television, underscoring the disappointment within the club and among Vinicius’ fans.

France Football’s efforts to maintain secrecy

Before the announcement, football francethe organizer of the Ballon d’Or, emphasized that the name of the winner would be not be leaked to the press. However, the rumors reached Vinicius’ camp last week. just one day before the awards ceremony, with sources from the The Spanish Football Federation confirms Rodri’s victory. This news shocked Spain, where confidence in the Brazilian’s chances remained high until the last hours.

Rodri, who is reportedly confident in his position, is said to have openly discussed his expectations with his teammates. This display of self-assurance, coupled with Madrid’s last-minute discovery, added to the growing tension between the two clubs, who have historically enjoyed a complex rivalry on and off the field.

How votes were cast: points breakdown

L’Equipe, a French sports newspaper, reported that the final points tally between Rodri and Vinicius were close, only 41 points separate them (1170 against 1129). Each journalist was asked to rank their top ten players and points were awarded as follows: 15 points for first place, 12 points for second, 10 for third, and so on.up to 1 point for 10th place. With a maximum of 1,485 points at stake, only 100 journalists were designated voters this year, and one, representing Syria, did not cast a vote.

Curiously, five journalists placed the Englishman Jude Bellingham as their first choice. In addition to Bellingham, four votes went to Carvajal in first place, two to Toni Kroos and one each. Mbappé, Lookman, Haaland and Lautaro Martínez. The varied opinions illustrate the breadth of talent in world football and the subjectivity inherent in selecting a single winner.

However, the distribution of votes also attracted attention. Three journalists completely excluded the Brazilian from their top tenwhich provoked more criticism from white fans, who argued that their season deserved greater recognition.