During his media tour following his Ballon d’Or 2024 victory, Rodri has drawn the ire of Madrid fans. After making yet another statement about Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, the Barcelona captain, did not mince his words in denouncing the incompetence of the Manchester City player.
Already criticised for his controversial Ballon d’Or win, marred by several scandals and damaging revelations for the organisers, Rodri continues to tarnish his reputation. Clearly elated despite the criticism, the Manchester City midfielder is embarking on a media tour in Spain. Invited onto TV shows to discuss the trophy he narrowly won ahead of Vinícius Júnior—widely considered the rightful winner of this 68th Ballon d’Or edition—the 28-year-old has made some aggravating remarks.
Rodri’s words that irritate
Speaking on Cadena SER last Thursday, the player who had stints in La Liga (notably with Villarreal and Atlético Madrid) let loose on Vinícius Júnior’s behaviour. After outlining the reasons for his win over the 24-year-old Madrid star a few days ago, Rodri further escalated tensions with another controversial statement. “I think Vini is a smart guy, and in time, he’ll realise that the more he focuses on the pitch, the better off he’ll be. Athletes aren’t just about what they represent on the pitch but also off it,” he said.
While neither Real Madrid nor their player have responded (for now) to these comments, Raphinha did not hold back. The Barcelona captain, standing in for the injured Marc-André ter Stegen, took issue with Rodri’s remarks, calling him incompetent. “Needing to speak badly about others to stand out is the height of incompetence,” the Brazilian said about the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.
This sharp response came shortly after one from Neymar Junior. According to the former Barcelona star, the Spanish midfielder, once known for his silence and appreciated for his fair play, has become increasingly vocal since receiving the Ballon d’Or “gift” from France Football and its voters.
Real Madrid pays no attention to Rodri
It must be said: since the Ballon d’Or was created, no winner has been as widely criticised as the 2024 recipient. Despite his importance on the pitch, the Manchester City midfielder is not the kind of exceptional player who stirs emotions, as Karim Benzema noted a few weeks ago. Moreover, eager to make a comeback in La Liga, where he would receive more attention in his home country—which didn’t even vote for him during the Ballon d’Or 2024 process—Rodri made a subtle overture to Real Madrid, which he called the greatest club in the world.
However, as expected, Florentino Pérez has shown no interest in the 28-year-old player. Already nearing his thirties, Rodri is not among the options for the Madrid board next summer, as revealed by Marca. With his offensive remarks about Vinícius—who is clearly the darling of the Santiago Bernabéu at the moment—Rodri has definitively closed the doors to the club with 15 Champions League titles.
Leave a Reply