Rodri, Bonmati win The Ballon D'OR awards in Colorful Paris Gala

Ballon D'OR awards, 

Tuesday, 29 October, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

The Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony was one of a kind and a brilliant event for Spanish players with Manchester City midfielder Rodri bagging the top honour at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Spanish midfielder edged out Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham to the top spot and the glittery prize.

Real Madrid Boycotted the Ballon D'Or event Over Perceived Vinicius Jr Snub but Organisers Denied the Claims. 

Rodri has a sensational season winning the UEFA Champions league (Last year) , Premier League and Club World cup (last season) before leading Spain to the UEFA Nations League and EURO 2024 trophy victories over the year.

Following his stellar Performance, he was awarded the best player in Four different tournaments including the UEFA Champions league, Club World Cup, UEFA Nations League and UEFA Euro. 

It was the first Ballon d’Or Award for Rodri, Manchester city and The Spanish Men's national team. 

Meanwhile Spanish and Barcelona star Aitana Bonmati defended her crown as she won the Women's Ballon D'OR with her statement performances over the course of the year.

Barcelona dominated the top three as Bonmai’s teammates Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo finished second and third.

It was the fourth-in-a-row, Women's Ballon D'OR to be won with by Barcelona players following Alexia Putellas Back-to-Back Awards in 2021 and 2022.

The Johan Cruyff Award, In honour of the legendary Dutchman who redefined the art of football was awarded to Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti and USA Women's national football team and former Chelsea women's team manager Emma Hayes for the Men's and Women's category respectively. 

It is the Best Coach award, renamed the Johan Cruyff Trophy. 

Ancelotti who was awarded in Absentia, led Real Madrid to the champions League, La Liga, Spanish Super Cup and UEFA Super Cup titles triumphs last season while Hayes, who was also absent, led Chelsea to the FA Women's super league title before joining the US Women's national football team where she won the 2024 Olympics Gold medal.

Hayes, in a recorded video, thanked the Organization for the honor, noting that the award was such an achievement for the "challenging" coaching role. 

Another Barcelona player, teenage sensation Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy (Best U21 Player) marking the third successive Award for Barcelona after Pedri in 2022 and Gavi in 2023.

The legendary Ruud Gullit presented the trophy to the Spanish teenager, who seems to be breaking record after record for La Roja and Barcelona.

The Barcelona youngster edged out teammates Pau Cubrasi, Savinho and Arda Guler. 

Meanwhile, Men's and Women's UEFA Champions league winners Barcelona and Real Madrid were awarded the Best Women’s and Men's Club of the Year respectively having also won their respective league titles last season. 

The Gerd Muller Trophy (Top goalscorer) was awarded to Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe who both scored 52 goals each last season.

The organisers also took a moment to remember the German great Franz Beckenbauer, who breathed his last. Der Kaiser was one of the few players to win the FIFA World Cup as both a player and a coach.

Other Awards included ;

Yachine Trophy (Best Goalkeeper award): Emi Martinez, who also claimed the trophy in the previous edition of the gala managed to successfully defend his title for his performances for Argentina and Premier League side Aston Villa.

Dibu’ as he is affectionately known, became the first person to claim back-to-back Yachine trophies.

Socrates Award: Jennifer Hermoso.

A kiss from former RFEF chief Luis Rubiales to Hermoso following the Spanish women’s side’s historic World Cup triumph brought to light the deep-seated issues in Spanish women’s football., and Hermoso has championed the cause of reformation along the same lines ever since with visible change unfolding before our very eyes.