Rodri breaks silence on viral video where he was filmed aiming dig at Vinicius Jr after winning 2024 Ballon d'Or ahead of Real Madrid superstar
Rodri has opened up about his jibe at Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior after winning the 2024 Ballon d'Or. The Manchester City midfielder chalked this up to just healthy sportsmanship.
Vinicius had an extraordinary campaign with Los Blancos last season, playing a crucial role in their LaLiga and Champions League double. The Brazilian winger contributed 24 goals and 11 assists across all competitions, ending the season as the club's top goalscorer.
Rodri also had an excellent season, having played an instrumental role in Manchester City's Premier League triumph and Spain's Euro 2024 victory.
Vinicius seemed poised for the first Ballon d'Or of his career, with many backing him as the frontrunner. However, on learning that Rodri had clinched the award, the Brazilian and his Real Madrid entourage decided not to attend the ceremony in protest.
During his celebrations post the Ballon d'Or ceremony, Rodri could be seen chanting Vinicius' name in a video posted by Manchester City on their socials, which was deleted shortly after.
The midfielder sang the popular Italian song 'Bella Ciao', altering the lyrics and including the Real Madrid forward's name, as can be seen in the video below.
In a recent interview with COPE, Rodri spoke about his Ballon d'Or triumph and addressed the video as well. He said (via Madrid Universal):
“People have to understand that healthy sportsmanship. In the end, it’s a private party, a moment when you’re not thinking about anything else."
Rodri suffered an ACL tear in September and is not expected to return to action for Manchester City this season.
"Knowing how to lose is important" - Rodri appears to take dig at Vinicius Junior after Real Madrid boycott Ballon d'Or ceremony
Rodri appears to have taken another subtle dig at Vinicius Junior after Real Madrid boycotted the 2024 Ballon d'Or award ceremony in Paris.
During an interview with France Football, Rodri emphasized the importance of attending the ceremony regardless of whether a player takes the award home. He also recalled Erling Haaland's runner-up finish in 2023 and how he showed support for his teammate by attending despite the Norwegian being ahead of him as a favorite.
Rodri said (via GOAL):
"When your value is recognized at a very high level, final winner or not, it's good to come [to the awards ceremony]. Besides, there is also the collective aspect that's important. For example, last year Erling [Haaland] was in a better position than me to win. I wanted to come to support him in a special moment."
He added:
"Knowing how to win but also knowing how to lose is important. And then this year, with my injury and the rehabilitation, this event was like a breath of fresh air. So when I made the decision to come, it was above all to enjoy this superb evening."
The award was eventually won by Lionel Messi in 2023 after he led Argentina to glory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.