Manchester City’s midfield maestro Rodri and Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati every claimed high honors on the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday, underscoring Spain’s new dominance on the world stage and shutting the chapter on the legendary Messi-Ronaldo period.
Rodri, pivotal to Manchester City’s treble-winning season and Spain’s European Championship victory, walked away with the coveted Ballon d’Or trophy within the males’s class.
At 28, Rodri’s win alerts a recent face on the summit after the award’s close to two-decade dominance by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Rodri arrived on crutches, his season sidelined by an ACL harm, however that didn’t dim the affect of his exceptional yr.
Over on the ladies’s facet, Bonmati’s season of triumph resulted in her second consecutive Ballon d’Or victory.
The 26-year-old playmaker delivered a spectacular efficiency for each membership and nation, main Barcelona to a historic continental quadruple – together with the Spanish League, Spanish Cup and Champions League titles – and steering Spain to the Nations League crown.
This newest accolade solidifies her standing alongside teammate Alexia Putellas, as the one girls to have gained the award twice since its inception in 2018.
The honors prolonged to the following technology as nicely, with Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal clinching the Kopa Trophy for the world’s greatest younger participant.
At 17, Yamal made historical past because the youngest-ever recipient of the award, his meteoric rise setting him aside as one among soccer’s brightest skills.
Turkish teenager Arda Güler, missed the Kopa Trophy by a whisker after having fun with a colourful season with Real Madrid and a descent Euro’s run with the Crescent-Stars.
Notably absent from the Paris gala was Los Blancos’ Vinicius Junior, a high finalist and perceived favourite till his membership’s resolution to maintain him residence for undisclosed causes.
The La Liga giants additionally opted out of sending representatives regardless of Carlo Ancelotti securing the Coach of the Year title, a press release transfer in a season marked by fierce membership rivalries.
The Ballon d’Or, awarded since 1956 by France Football journal, has relied on the votes of journalists from FIFA’s high 100 nations, with every consultant rating gamers primarily based on efficiency and affect over the season.
Unlike FIFA’s greatest participant award, the Ballon d’Or vote excludes followers, making it a particular honor reserved for the gamers’ accomplishments on the sphere.
With the exit of Messi and Ronaldo from the Ballon d’Or highlight – this being the primary yr since 2003 with out their inclusion – the triumphs of Rodri, Bonmati, and Yamal underscore a brand new period, one led by a youthful technology that continues to lift the bar for world soccer.
Source: www.dailysabah.com