Manchester City’s Rodri was already seen as one of the most influential players in the world right now – but his first Ballon d’Or win has has cemented that claim.
The Spain holding midfielder has suffered just one defeat for club or country in the past 19 months.
In that time, Rodri won the Champions League, two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, Uefa Super Cup, Club World Cup, Nations League and Euro 2024.
Having played 63 times for City and Spain last term, the 28-year-old is set to miss the rest of the 2024-25 campaign after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in September.
Since Rodri’s debut for City in 2019 they have lost 21% of matches without him in the team compared to 11% with him.
After his Ballon d’Or win, BBC Sport looks at just how important Rodri is and how much he could be missed this season.
The midfield maestro
Rodri had big boots to fill when he joined City, with Fernandinho considered by some the best defensive midfielder to ever play in the Premier League.
However, Rodri has made the position his own and now has to be ranked along with the greats like Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira and Claude Makelele, but with more passing in the opposition half and less tackling and more Champions League final winning goals.
But it did not start off so smoothly, according to the Spaniard anyway. He said his first season at the club was a “disaster”.
“The holding midfielder is the guy on the pitch with more responsibilities,” he told BBC Sport in a recent interview – which you can watch on BBC iPlayer.
“You have to make sure team works and nobody is lazy or distracted. When the team doesn’t work it’s kind of your fault.
“You’re like a coach on the pitch. I’m not Pep [Guardiola] in the pitch in that sense because he overthinks the situation. I’m more simple.”
But Rodri admits it did not necessarily come naturally to him in 2019 when City signed him for a then club record £62.8m from Atletico Madrid.
“Maybe if the teams change and go from five to four, I have to be ‘instead of three at the back we have to do two and one here’. It’s something I’ve learned.
“In my first year I was a disaster. I was like, ‘I don’t even know what you’re talking to me about, just let me play football.'”
Mike Minay, BBC Radio Manchester’s City commentator, said: “When Rodri deputised on his own in that first season it was difficult to see how he was ever going to break out of Fernandinho’s shadow and emerge as the standout figure he is now.
“But then in his second season – a classic Pep Guardiola player symptom – he became pivotal. He made the role his own.
“He was able to break up attacks, utilise Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin de Bruyne in more advanced positions, and be the metronome in midfield – never passing for passing’s sake but there to help open up spaces and be available to support others.”
In Europe’s top five leagues from the start of the 2019-20 season, Rodri leads the way for passes, successful passes in the opposition half, successful passes ending in the final third and possession won. Not bad for a defensive midfielder.
On top of that Rodri scored one of the biggest goals in City’s history – the only one in the Champions League final win over Inter Milan to seal the 2022-23 Treble.
He scored a career-best nine goals last season, including two crucial late strikes in Premier League games and a goal in the title-clinching 3-1 win over West Ham.
“I think in his position, he’s up there with one of the best City have ever had, if not the best,” added Minay.
“He superseded Fernandinho and then some. Yaya Toure is another crucial figure in City’s modern history – but I think Rodri surpasses him too. A real pleasure to watch, a passionate player and ultimately, City’s best.”
Rodri is also a star for his country and was named the best player at Euro 2024 as he helped Spain to lift the trophy, beating England in the final – albeit he was replaced at half-time in that match through injury.
The winning machine
When City lost the FA Cup final to Manchester United in May it marked the first time Rodri had lost a game for the club in 75 matches.
Four trophies, one game lost, read his 2023-24 record for City and Spain.
He is still unbeaten in 52 league games – which is the best run anybody has had in Europe’s top five leagues since his move in 2019.
That stat is even more remarkable when you consider City lost three league games last season – and Rodri barely misses a match.
Last season he was suspended for those three matches – the only three games he was not in the squad for. He did not feature in one other game, a win over Luton in April, but he was on the bench for that and would presumably have come on if they needed him.
“When City were charging for a fourth successive title, by March – with the FA Cup and Champions League still on the cards – Rodri was moaning about being exhausted, concerned for his body,” said Minay.
“Yet, City couldn’t afford to rest him. He was that crucial. He continued to play. For club and country in the 2023-24 season he played 63 games.”
City’s record since Rodri joined is much, much better when he is in the team – winning 74% and losing 11% of games, compared to 67% wins and 21% losses when he misses out.
When you factor in that importance to such a dominant team – City have won the past four league titles and a Champions League – it is hard to argue against him being the most influential player in the world.
Rodri is also on a fine run for his country and has not lost since a Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland in March 2023.
Just how good is he?
Now Rodri can call himself a Ballon d’Or winner,
No defensive midfielder had won it since Lothar Matthaus in 1990, while Rodri is the first Spanish player to win the award since Luis Suarez in 1960.
French football journalist Julien Laurens said: “Rodri has been the best player in the world for two seasons now. I know he isn’t in an offensive position – he doesn’t score goals, do dribbles or tricks.
“But he is the most intelligent player in his position in the world. He is super decisive and the last few years he has been outstanding for club and country. He deserves the Ballon d’Or more than anyone else.”
Rodri also becomes the first player in Manchester City’s history to win the prestigious award.
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague said: “Rodri has done everything he has needed at club and international level.
“He plays the role that doesn’t usually get accolades but everyone recognises the value of it.
“When Rodri got injured at half-time of the Euros final, the feeling in the stands, among the pundits, even the players, was ‘what a gap to fill’. That tells you everyone realises he is the player who dictates the play. Everyone looks up to his leadership as well.”
