The Spaniard has grown into a pivotal figure in Pep Guardiola’s incredible side, who earned a record breaking fourth successive English top-flight title last season.
His impact on our team, as well as his role as the driving force behind Spain’s Euro 2024 success, was recognised at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on Monday evening.
Buy your Rodrigo shirt hereThe 28-year-old received the iconic golden trophy on stage from former City striker and 1995 Ballon d’Or winner George Weah.
A panel of journalists from the 100 top-ranking nations chose our midfielder as the world’s best player over the last 12 months, with Rodrigo beating Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal who completed the top four.
Fellow City players Ruben Dias, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland also made it onto the 30-man shortlist.
Haaland was the next highest ranking City player, finishing fifth while Foden came 11th and Dias was announced in 23rd place.
Rodrigo, currently sidelined with a knee injury, was joined at the ceremony by Dias and Kopa Trophy nominee Savinho.
The midfielder has been at the heart of our success since joining City in 2019 – acting as Guardiola’s chief lieutenant on the pitch in and out of possession from the base of midfield.
An immovable object and imposing presence defensively, the 28-year-old is also a key cog in every attack and a creative outlet in the final third.
He has also acquired a knack for scoring goals at crucial moments, not least his Champions League winning strike in Istanbul in June 2023 that will be remembered forever.
2023/24 was his most productive season at the top end of the pitch, scoring nine times and contributing 14 assists.
Across the campaign, he played 63 matches for City and Spain - winning 50 times and collecting four trophies.
“Winning the Ballon d’Or is the realisation of a dream and a genuine honour for me,” Rodrigo said.
“I have given so much to football, and to be rewarded this evening with the most revered individual prize in the game is something incredibly special for me and my family.
“However, individual prizes are so often the result of strong team performances, and I am eternally grateful to everyone at Manchester City.
“My teammates are the best – I could not ask for more from them, both personally and professionally – and the support I receive from across every department at the football club means I am given the opportunity to focus on my football and preform at my very best.
“I am very fortunate to be able call myself a Manchester City player.
“I also want to thank my family for their constant love and support. My career would not have been possible without them.
“I am humbled, honoured and very proud tonight. My focus now is returning to full fitness and pulling on a City shirt again.”
Reflecting on Rodrigo‘s award, Director of Football Txiki Begiristain said: “Everyone at Manchester City will quite rightly feel very proud tonight.
“Rodri is our first-ever winner of this award, and he totally deserves that honour. He is a player completely without ego, whose performance level over a very long period of time has been exceptional.
“The consistency he has shown is the result of hard work and dedication. He is a perfect professional, a person who approaches every single training session with the right attitude.
“He wants to be the best and he is prepared to make the necessary sacrifices to make that a reality.
“The club is also proud to have had so many other players shortlisted for this award. Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Ruben Dias were deservedly recognised for their contribution to our success.
“To have so many players in contention for this prize is further evidence we are living through an incredible period in Manchester City’s history.”
Our midfielder now joins an illustrious list as the winner of the prize’s 68th edition.
Previous winners of the Ballon d’Or include Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Fabio Cannavaro, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Hristo Stoichkov, Roberto Baggio, Jean-Pierre Papin, Lothar Matthaus and Marco van Basten, to name a few.
Kevin Keegan, who managed City between 2001 and 2005, won the award twice during his time at Hamburg (1978 and 1979).
The aforementioned Weah is not the only player to win the award before joining City, with Denis Law honoured in 1964 while playing for Manchester United.
In total, City enjoyed nominations in five of the eight awards presented on the night.
The incredible achievements of Guardiola’s team were again recognised with a nomination in the Men’s Club of the Year category, which we had won in the two previous years.
This time around that honour went to Real Madrid, who lifted La Liga and the Champions League in 2023/24.
Yui Hasegawa, Lauren Hemp and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw were all shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or Feminin, which honours the best women’s player in the world.
Shaw led the way for City, finishing 15th, while Hemp and Hasegawa came 26th and 28th respectively as Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati claimed the prize for a second successive year.
Guardiola was in the running for the inaugural Men’s Coach of the Year prize, which was eventually won by Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Summer signing Savinho finished fourth in the Kopa Trophy, celebrating the best Under-21 player in world football.
Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal came out on top in that category.
On behalf of everyone at Manchester City, congratulations to Rodrigo on this well-deserved and momentous achievement!
