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The soccer world witnessed Rodri’s Ballon d’Or victory on Monday. A Premier League winner with Manchester City, the former Colchonero was instrumental in La Roja’s triumph at Euro 2024. Thanks to his calm and class, the Spaniard was preferred to Vinicius Jr. by the jury. Despite only reaching the quarter-finals of the Copa America, the Auriverde international was Real Madrid’s star performer in La Liga and the Champions League. Vinicius Jr lifted three major trophies with the Casa Blanca club and boasts exemplary statistics that could have made him the 2024 Ballon d’or winner.
But in an interview with Sport, Inigo Martinez decided to set the record straight by commenting on the controversial decision. The Barcelona central defender was delighted with Rodri’s victory, but was keen to send a pretty clear message to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. “At the end of the day, everyone thinks differently. There are 100 journalists voting, and if they voted for Rodri because they think that’s the way it is and that he deserved it more than Vinicius, then I’m happy for him,” he began.
For Inigo Martinez, the fact that Rodri has won a Ballon d’Or is pride enough. “I know him and, in truth, seeing him there, with a Ballon d’Or in his hands, made me happy. I hope he can continue to be here in the years to come,” he added. The defender of the rival club made it clear to Vinicius Jr that he should not let himself be dismayed by the decision of the 100 jurors, who overwhelmingly chose Rodri. It’s still a vote, and Vini shouldn’t be thinking of a plot against himself, since the winner Rodri is also coming off a memorable season in his own right, and seeing him lift the Ballon d’Or doesn’t seem like a scandal.
Inigo Martinez also praises Lamine Yamal
Inigo Martinez also praised the performance of 17-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal, who won the Kopa Trophy at the same ceremony. “Lamine is a different kind of player, one we rarely see. It’s wonderful to have him with us,” he said. He highlighted Yamal’s impact on the game, explaining that he “passes a lot of balls, sows a lot of nervousness on the opponent’s pitch and doesn’t tremble.”
Inigo Martinez also expressed his hope that Lamine Yamal will continue to improve and build his career. “For us, he’s a basic player. He still has a lot of progress to make, but we hope he will continue to improve and eventually win the Ballon d’Or,” he added.
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