Isn't it unfair to compare Real Madrid's complete season in which Vini has missed parts of with Man City who will miss out Rodri completely ? I say this because we already how Vini's absence impacted them and didn't last season but for this one we don't know if Man City will win a trophy by its end.
Rodri | Man City player | Ballon d'Or winner
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Individual awards in team sports are inherently ridiculous and I find the level of cache this one carries with young fans in particular quite troubling.
However if we insist on this thing existing surely we give the 'worlds best player' accolade to an attacking player who excites us, gets us off our seat, creates the beauty that we all flock to stadiums every week hoping to see.
Give a silly award to Messi, Ronaldinho, Best, Baggio - they do silly things that make us love the game, they're who all kids want to be when kicking a ball in the playground
The world's best player is a DM from a team that has 70% possesion in every game? What a time to be alive
However if we insist on this thing existing surely we give the 'worlds best player' accolade to an attacking player who excites us, gets us off our seat, creates the beauty that we all flock to stadiums every week hoping to see.
Give a silly award to Messi, Ronaldinho, Best, Baggio - they do silly things that make us love the game, they're who all kids want to be when kicking a ball in the playground
The world's best player is a DM from a team that has 70% possesion in every game? What a time to be alive
Then it should be called an award for most exciting player, not the best one.
This award is a sorry indictment of where the game currently lies. The worlds best player.... is literally a regen of Carrick. Good player for sure, but quite literally a robot.
What happened to flair, skill and imagination..... sadly missing from todays game and this award sums it up. Thanks Pep. Thanks for taking entertainment out of the game.
What happened to flair, skill and imagination..... sadly missing from todays game and this award sums it up. Thanks Pep. Thanks for taking entertainment out of the game.
In fairness they really should create something new and award prizes by position
I don't know, except for Spain I don't watch Rodri's games but in the Euro I thought he was the best.
Vini has no rival in that position and I think that without UEFA's participation in the trophy he would have won.
Not fussed really that Rodri won. I don't really think last season there was a clear stand out candidate.
"Aren't as strong" is an understatement. City aren't able to replace Rodri with a single player, they have to delegate his duties throughout the squad — some to Kovačić, some to Gündoğan, some to Lewis etc. And they're still significantly worse — he is, without a doubt, the least replaceable player in the world even if you don't agree if he's the best, he's a cheat code. No one gives you this combination of control, defensive nous and attacking involvement.
While Real literally have Mbappé now who can fill in Viní's shoes without much loss in quality (if he gets going you can still make an argument that he's a better player even though the Brazilian was better last season and is more important to Madrid at the moment). Would they've been able to win what they did last season without Viní (and, obviously, Mbappé)? Probably not as Perez & Ancelotti bet everything on him in terms of their squad building, they've barely had any attackers period. But his skillset is not as unique and you can potentially replace him with a single player — you'll still miss out on something as he does some things better than anyone else in the world at the moment, but the team will be generally fine.
George Weah in '95.
I expected Rodri to win the award even before the leaks and i'm quite surprised anybody expected anything different. He's the Euro player of the tournament. That usually translates to a Ballon D'or except your competition is Lionel Messi because the Euros are the premier regional international tournament.
Yes Vinicius has the CL and the league title but he wasn't the driving force for either trophies and Rodri also has a league title too plus Brazil did not even reach the Semis of Copa America which is almost as bad as PSG or Bayern not winning their league titles in a given year. The minimum for Brazil at Copa America should always be the final and not even getting to the semis is a big knock on his resume.
Yes Vinicius has the CL and the league title but he wasn't the driving force for either trophies and Rodri also has a league title too plus Brazil did not even reach the Semis of Copa America which is almost as bad as PSG or Bayern not winning their league titles in a given year. The minimum for Brazil at Copa America should always be the final and not even getting to the semis is a big knock on his resume.
Really is just a Spanish trophy for me.
Play for Barcelona, Real Madrid or have some connections to their coaching or country.
Just another Guardiola player alongside Benzema, Modric, Messi, Ronaldo etc.
Play for Barcelona, Real Madrid or have some connections to their coaching or country.
Just another Guardiola player alongside Benzema, Modric, Messi, Ronaldo etc.
Rodri is a diamond, an absolutely class act. Don't worry, were Man City to get rid (haha) and you guys don't want him, we'll take him to Scunny in a heartbeat. He might have to take a 'slight' dip in wages, but we'll throw in a weekend away in Cleethorpes and free fish and chips every Friday. He won't be able to say no!
I don't really know why people make such a big deal out of Rodri not being 'replaceable.'
Courtois missed most of last season to injury and it didn't matter much for Real Madrid, they won the league with 95 points (higher than any season with Courtois), conceded 26 goals (just 1 more goal than in Courtois' best season), and won the Champions League. But surely nobody thinks this says much about Courtois' abilities as goalkeeper.
Courtois missed most of last season to injury and it didn't matter much for Real Madrid, they won the league with 95 points (higher than any season with Courtois), conceded 26 goals (just 1 more goal than in Courtois' best season), and won the Champions League. But surely nobody thinks this says much about Courtois' abilities as goalkeeper.
For every example, there is a counter. It still doesn't invalidate Rodri's importance for those cnuts
They arent as good or dominant. They look more vulnerable. Halaand is bailing them out currently.
Absolutely deserved. After the Euros, it was Rodri for me. Otherwise if Spain would have lost to Germany, Vini. But Rodri showed his class there and edged it.
More deserving? The guy isn't even top 3 in his own team (De Bruyne, Haaland, Foden), got eliminated from the UCL in quarterfinals and wasn't even in the EPL best XI of the season.
Not even in the best XI.
He was 2nd best, and voted the best player of the UCL. Rodri wasn't when in the best XI, neither in the UCL or the EPL.
Arguably best club team in the world? They were eliminated in quarterfinals of the UCL, where they only were winning for 10 about of 210 minutes (with the extra times) in the whole 2 matches.
Not even top 3 on his club.
Pivotal yet he wasn't even top 3 midfielders of the UCL or EPL.
Spot on.
You can run into problems with these type of comparisons when you have one massive sample (50, 174) and another much smaller one (9, 21).
The most consequential defeats for City last season were against United in the FA cup final, the draw and penalty defeat against Arsenal in the Charity Shield, the draw and penalty defeat to Real Madrid in the CL QFs, and the third round defeat in the EFL cup.
Rodri played the first three games. A second string side played in the EFL game.
So it doesn't really mean much.
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I think he's the best midfielder in the world and Vini Jr is the best attacker in the world. Both had good seasons and capped them with a huge trophy, one with the National side and one with his club.
So either would have been fine.
You could argue that doing it with both Spain and City is what moved Rodri ahead.
So either would have been fine.
You could argue that doing it with both Spain and City is what moved Rodri ahead.
Go to sleep. Votes are done, so much anger ain't heathy
One the one hand: deserved winner!
On the other hand: this means that the nerds have won
An unglamorous, Spanish DM who plays for a Pep team just won the Ballon d'Or. We have truly entered the "no fun allowed" era. Ronaldinho must be rolling in his grave. I know that he's not dead, but his spirit just died.
On the other hand: this means that the nerds have won
An unglamorous, Spanish DM who plays for a Pep team just won the Ballon d'Or. We have truly entered the "no fun allowed" era. Ronaldinho must be rolling in his grave. I know that he's not dead, but his spirit just died.One the one hand: deserved winner!
On the other hand: this means that the nerds have won
Yeah but he's also a big hard bastard who could have played in the 80s and scores important goals.
So it's a bit of a conundrum really
Deserving and those saying he isn't their most important player only need to see the difference with and without him, no other has such an effect.
Sucks that he has to play for them.
Sucks that he has to play for them.
You should find out what Ronaldinho thinks of the current Brazilian players, esp Vini.One the one hand: deserved winner!
On the other hand: this means that the nerds have won
Rodri is a fantastic footballer and surely one of the best in the last 2-3 years. Thoroughly deserving. Its a refreshing move away from the stat padding attackers (Vini didn't even have impressive numbers) and a recognition of other positions being just as important. I'm also happy a PL player has finally won it again and hopefully its Palmer or Haaland next year.
Well deserved. The best in his position currently and one of the best in history. Also, pivotal in Spain's success at the Euro. Player of the Tournament I think. Don't see a reason why Vinicius should be ahead of him. He is mostly nondescript for Brazil, and they failed at Copa America.
Feels very deserved and this robbed-discussion/claims is mostly because CDMs do not play flashy or in a way that makes them stand out as much in your memory as they would in an attacking role with the same level of performance.
This award was never about CDMs having a lot of G/A or a visually satisfying highlight reel.
This award was never about CDMs having a lot of G/A or a visually satisfying highlight reel.
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I wonder if Arsenal fans still try to claim Rice is on the same level as Rodri
I’d still very much like him to leave City
It's an indication of where the game currently is. Don't get me wrong, Rodri is a fantastic player but for the greatest individual award to go to such a player shows that football currently doesn't have entertainers. The award has mostly always been won by players with flair, skill - players who excite fans, who get them off their seats, who produce goals or assists - R9, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Cristiano, Messi etc. Now they're giving it to a Carrick equivalent. Rodri isn't even the best player at City (most important maybe, but not the best) !
I said yesterday it's hard to argue that he hasn't been one of the best players in the world over the last 2 years. He's the equivalent of Roy Keane in that team.
Excellent player, whether he plays for City or not, you can still appreciate how crucial he was to both City and Spain winning trophies over the last 2 years.
The defensive midfielder you are describing exemplifies qualities that define a truly exceptional level of performance. A player with more than 25 goal contributions (goals and assists) is operating at an elite standard, particularly in this role. Additionally, recording over 100 key passes per season across all competitions is a remarkable achievement. He was the player with the most touches and passes during the 2023/24 season, indicating that he was at the heart of Manchester City's build-up play.
He is widely regarded as the most press-resistant player in Europe, tasked with breaking through the press and finding the right solutions to escape pressure during the build-up phase. Any mistakes in this role could have catastrophic consequences for the team, leading to a goal or a significant setback. When afforded space, he contributes effectively to the attack, either by driving the ball forward or by shooting from distance.
His standout qualities, both in his individual skill set and his positional understanding, enable him to have a substantial impact on the pitch, in both attacking and defensive phases. Defensively, he excels in screening the ball and intercepting passes before they reach the backline. Moreover, his height of 191 cm gives him a considerable advantage in aerial duels, which proves invaluable for winning second balls and maintaining possession.
His impact on the game is evident, demonstrating the extent of his complete skill set. It is equally clear that when City are without him, their ability to dominate matches is noticeably diminished. His individual performance and consistency have remained at an exceptional level, particularly over the long course of the league season. He has consistently performed well throughout all 38 league matches, and it is rare to see him have an off game. At the international level, he led his team to win the European Championship and was awarded the tournament's Best Player. He’s a deserve winner in my eyes. He also has one of the best seasons from any defensive midfielders in football history.
He is widely regarded as the most press-resistant player in Europe, tasked with breaking through the press and finding the right solutions to escape pressure during the build-up phase. Any mistakes in this role could have catastrophic consequences for the team, leading to a goal or a significant setback. When afforded space, he contributes effectively to the attack, either by driving the ball forward or by shooting from distance.
His standout qualities, both in his individual skill set and his positional understanding, enable him to have a substantial impact on the pitch, in both attacking and defensive phases. Defensively, he excels in screening the ball and intercepting passes before they reach the backline. Moreover, his height of 191 cm gives him a considerable advantage in aerial duels, which proves invaluable for winning second balls and maintaining possession.
His impact on the game is evident, demonstrating the extent of his complete skill set. It is equally clear that when City are without him, their ability to dominate matches is noticeably diminished. His individual performance and consistency have remained at an exceptional level, particularly over the long course of the league season. He has consistently performed well throughout all 38 league matches, and it is rare to see him have an off game. At the international level, he led his team to win the European Championship and was awarded the tournament's Best Player. He’s a deserve winner in my eyes. He also has one of the best seasons from any defensive midfielders in football history.
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He is far above Carrick, its like saying Carrick is a Keane equivalent. In the 90's the likes of Matthaus and Sammer won awards and Cannavaro in the 00's.
And Rodri is the best player at City.
The Ballon is nonsense, it has always been nonsense - it means feck all beyond possibly this:
If someone fifty years from now looks at 2024 and sees that Rodri won it, they can be reasonably sure that Rodri was a very good player.
(Similarly, if they see a player who won the feckin' thing multiple times, they can be reasonably sure he was exceptionally good.)
If someone fifty years from now looks at 2024 and sees that Rodri won it, they can be reasonably sure that Rodri was a very good player.
(Similarly, if they see a player who won the feckin' thing multiple times, they can be reasonably sure he was exceptionally good.)
The stuff about this being some low-point for the game or sign where football's headed is odd. It's literally one year. Cannavaro won it in 06, Buffon was 2nd. He was sandwich between Ronaldinho, hardly an exemplar of defensive play, and Kaka, before Ronaldo/Messi then dominated for years.
He won because he's very good, because he won an international tournament, and because Ronaldo and Messi are past their peak. The next five years will probably go back to players like Bellingham, Vini, and Haaland all fighting it out until Yamal goes and wins ten in a row or something.
He won because he's very good, because he won an international tournament, and because Ronaldo and Messi are past their peak. The next five years will probably go back to players like Bellingham, Vini, and Haaland all fighting it out until Yamal goes and wins ten in a row or something.