Man City’s Rodri: The Ballon d’Or Dream That Might Slip Away
When it comes to collecting titles, Manchester City has made a habit of it. Under Pep Guardiola’s guidance, the club has secured an impressive array of domestic and European trophies, creating a team packed with talent that knows what it takes to win.
It’s not just team success; several City stars have also nabbed individual honors. Erling Haaland, for instance, was named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year for the 2022/23 season, and Phil Foden earned the Premier League Player of the Season title for 2023/24.
Now, with another season underway, a prominent pundit has weighed in on a key City player’s shot at one of football’s most coveted individual awards: the Ballon d’Or.
Gary Lineker on Rodri’s Ballon d’Or Chances
As the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony approaches, Gary Lineker recently shared his views on Rodri’s prospects on an episode of The Rest Is Football. Lineker believes Rodri has been one of the best, if not the best, players in the world this year, but he questions if that will be enough to secure him the prestigious prize.
“I would feel for Rodri because he’s been, I think, the best player, consistently the best player in world football this year,” Lineker said. “You’d think a national team championship would probably carry more weight possibly than a club title in terms of the Champions League.
“And just the difference between losing a penalty shootout and winning a penalty shootout, not just for a club like Manchester City failing to go through, but also Rodri because if they win that penalty shootout, then they probably would have gone on to win the Champions League and Rodri would definitely have been a shoo-in.
“So individual prizes within a team sport, but it’s always fascinating, isn’t it?”
Alan Shearer Calls It ‘Cruel’ If Rodri Misses Out Due to Injury
Despite Rodri’s knee injury that ended his season in September, Alan Shearer believes this setback shouldn’t affect his Ballon d’Or chances. He argues that his injury should not overshadow the impressive accomplishments Rodri achieved prior to it.
“No, it shouldn’t do. I mean, that would be really, really cruel if it did, but it shouldn’t affect it at all,” Shearer remarked.
The Spanish midfielder was instrumental in City’s fourth consecutive Premier League win and also led Spain to the 2024 European Championship. However, he couldn’t help City overcome Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals, where a penalty shootout sent Carlo Ancelotti’s side through after two hard-fought draws.
While City fans would be thrilled to see Rodri recognized as the world’s best player, they already understand his immense value to their team—Ballon d’Or or not.
