Real Madrid’s Head Coach Congratulates Manchester City’s Rodri on 2024 Ballon d’Or Win
In a surprise twist, Real Madrid’s head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has congratulated Manchester City’s midfielder, Rodri, on winning the 2024 Ballon d’Or award.
Rodri’s victory came at the expense of Real Madrid’s star player, Vinicius Junior, who had been a strong contender for the prestigious award.
Ancelotti, along with the entire Real Madrid squad, chose to boycott the award ceremony in Paris, expressing their disappointment with the results, citing a broader sense of injustice in the recognition of their achievements.
In his pre-match press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League clash with AC Milan, Ancelotti reiterated the team’s stance, saying, “We’ve already won our ‘Ballon d’Or’ – and that’s the UEFA Champions League title we secured in London. It’s the ultimate recognition of our accomplishments.”
Ancelotti also addressed the emotional state of Vinicius Junior, revealing that the young Brazilian player was not down about the Ballon d’Or results, but rather was struggling with the devastating floods that recently hit Valencia, Spain, causing the cancellation of their La Liga match.
Ancelotti emphasized, “Vinicius Jr is sad, but it’s not because of the Ballon d’Or. He’s sad because of what’s happening in Valencia.”
Vinicius finished in second place in the voting, with his Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham taking the third spot.
