Football fans usually expect a certain kind of "magic" from a ballon d or winner 2024. We want the step-overs. We want the 40-yard screamers. We want the guys who make defenders look like they’re wearing jeans in a swimming pool. So, when Rodri—a guy whose job is basically being a human safety net—hoisted that golden ball in Paris, it felt like the glitch in the matrix finally went mainstream.
Vinícius Júnior was the heavy favorite. Honestly, most people had already written the headlines. Real Madrid were so convinced their Brazilian star had it in the bag that when the news leaked he hadn't won, they skipped the flight to France entirely. No one from the club showed up. Not even for the awards they actually won. It was a massive, high-stakes sulk that almost overshadowed the fact that a defensive midfielder finally got his flowers.
But if you actually look at what happened on the pitch, the result starts making a whole lot of sense.
The Rodri Effect: More Than Just "Passing Sideways"
Rodri didn't just win; he dominated the calendar. He was the heartbeat of a Manchester City team that secured a fourth consecutive Premier League title. Then he went to the Euros with Spain and was named Player of the Tournament. That’s a heavy resume.
The 28-year-old finished with 1,170 points, just 41 ahead of Vini Jr. That is a razor-thin margin. It’s the equivalent of a last-minute goal in a cup final.
People love to argue that defensive players are "boring." But Rodri went on a 74-game unbeaten streak for club and country. Think about that for a second. For over a year, if Rodri was on the field, his team basically forgot how to lose. He’s the first Premier League player to win the award since Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2008.
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Critics say he doesn't have the "highlight reel" of a winger. Fair. But football is a game of control, and nobody controlled 2024 like Rodri. He’s the guy who stops the fire before it even starts. He reads the game three steps ahead, and occasionally, he pops up with a Champions League-winning goal or a crucial strike against West Ham to clinch a title.
The Real Madrid Boycott and the Vinícius Snub
The drama outside the Théâtre du Châtelet was probably more intense than anything on the red carpet. Real Madrid’s decision to boycott was... a choice. They felt that if the criteria didn't favor Vinícius, then Dani Carvajal (who won the Champions League and the Euros) should have been the winner.
Basically, they felt disrespected.
Vinícius had a monster season, don't get me wrong. He scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists. He was the spark that lit up the Champions League final. But the Ballon d'Or is voted on by 99 journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations. It turns out, three of those journalists didn't even put Vini in their top ten.
That’s where the math broke.
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If those three voters had even given him a handful of points, we’d be talking about a different ballon d or winner 2024. It’s a reminder that this award isn't a science; it’s a collection of opinions. And in 2024, the collective opinion shifted toward rewarding the "engine" rather than just the "finish."
How the Men’s Top 10 Shook Out
- Rodri (Spain, Manchester City) – 1,170 pts
- Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid) – 1,129 pts
- Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid) – 917 pts
- Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid) – 550 pts
- Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City) – 432 pts
- Kylian Mbappé (France, PSG/Real Madrid) – 420 pts
- Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter Milan) – 402 pts
- Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona) – 383 pts
- Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid) – 291 pts
- Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich) – 201 pts
Aitana Bonmatí: The Undisputed Queen
While the men’s side was a civil war of opinions, the women’s side was a coronation. Aitana Bonmatí took home her second consecutive Ballon d'Or Féminin. It wasn't even close.
She won the quadruple with Barcelona. League, Cup, Super Cup, and Champions League. She was the MVP of the Nations League. She’s basically playing a different sport than everyone else right now.
It’s actually kinda wild that Spain produced both the men’s and women’s winners in the same year. Plus, Lamine Yamal took the Kopa Trophy for the best young player. It was a complete Spanish heist in Paris.
Why This Win Changes the Award Forever
For years, the Ballon d'Or was the "Messi and Ronaldo Invitational." If you didn't score 50 goals, you weren't invited to the party.
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Rodri’s win as the ballon d or winner 2024 signals a shift. It tells young players that you don't have to be the one taking the penalties to be the best in the world. You can be the guy who recovers the ball, keeps the rhythm, and organizes the chaos.
It’s a victory for the "unseen" work.
Of course, the controversy won't die down soon. Brazilian fans are (rightly) upset. Real Madrid is still fuming. But history books don't care about the boycott; they care about the name on the trophy.
Rodri is currently recovering from a nasty ACL injury he picked up against Arsenal in September 2024. He accepted his award on crutches. It was a poignant image—the best player in the world, sidelined at the peak of his powers.
What to Watch Next
If you want to understand why the voting went the way it did, stop watching the goal montages. Go back and watch a full 90 minutes of Rodri against a top-six side. Notice how he never loses his cool. Look at how he positions himself to intercept passes before the opponent even thinks of making them.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Analyze the "Points Gap": Look into the specific breakdown of how the 99 journalists voted. Some regions favored Vini heavily, while Europe and parts of Asia leaned toward Rodri’s tactical importance.
- Watch the Women's Game: If you haven't seen Aitana Bonmatí play, you're missing the highest level of technical football on the planet right now.
- Track the 2025 Race: With Rodri out for most of the 2024-25 season, the door is wide open for a new (or familiar) face to take the lead for next year.
The 2024 ceremony proved that the Ballon d'Or is still the most dramatic event in football, even when the ball isn't rolling.