Man City's Guardiola proud of Rodri's Ballon d'Or 2024 win; sends message to Real Madrid after boycott (WATCH)
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Oct 29, 2024, 7:07 PM ISTManchester City boss Pep Guardiola has congratulated Rodri after the Spanish midfielder bagged the prestigious Ballon d'Or 2024 award in a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has congratulated Rodri after the Spanish midfielder bagged the prestigious Ballon d'Or 2024 award in a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday. Rodri's name came as a surprise to several football enthusiasts as he beat Real Madrid's prolific duo Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
Amidst mixed responses, Guardiola spoke publicly for the first time on Rodri's Ballon d'Or 2024 feat, admitting that he was 'proud' of the Spain international.
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“What can I say? Congratulations to him and all his family and friends,” Guardiola said at a press conference. “It’s incredible news. We’re so proud of him. We could never have imagined years ago that our player would receive this prestigious award. We are so delighted to be a part of this award and to share it with him.”
The victory is particularly notable as Vinicius Jr. was widely considered a frontrunner for the award, but the unexpected recognition of Rodri has sparked discussions within the football community.
Guardiola's message to Real Madrid after Ballon d'Or boycott
Real Madrid opted to boycott the ceremony, reportedly canceling a private jet to Paris after learning about Rodri's win, despite their own accolades—being named Best Club of the Year and Carlo Ancelotti winning Best Men’s Coach.
Addressing the Madrid boycott, Guardiola said, "It's up to them. If they want to congratulate, that's fine. If not, that's fine as well. At Manchester City, we are not here to judge other clubs on what they decide they have to do."
"Last season for example, Erling [Haaland] won the Treble, scored more than 50 goals. I said to him 'just being there, you have to be so happy'. I said the same to Rodri. If you are in the first two, three or four, it's exceptional. Last season, Erling should win, yes. Should Messi have won? Yes. It doesn't matter," the Man City boss added.
🗣️ GUARDIOLA habla sobre la NO PRESENCIA del MADRID en el BALÓN de ORO y sobre RODRI:
❌ "No somos nadie para juzgar lo que deciden otros equipos".
🇪🇸 "Es un premio a lo que el fútbol español merece". pic.twitter.com/ptIANdEsYT
"You and your teammates have done something amazing. Should it be Vinicius? Maybe. It's not an elite group, it's journalists who vote. Rodri made an incredible speech, he spoke about family and Spanish football. In the last decade, Spanish football has made such a difference, won a World Cup, Euros, and weren't able to win this award," Guardiola further said.
"Their importance in the last 10 or 15 years has been so important. I remember once we nominated three players from La Masia, Xavi and [Andreas] Iniesta couldn't beat [Lionel] Messi, he was a monster. Only [Cristiano] Ronaldo could," he concluded.
Manchester City are currently preparing for their upcoming EFL Cup clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
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