Manchester City’s players know what it’s like to win trophies and awards.
For example, after winning the Treble, Pep Guardiola’s side won their fourth consecutive Premier League trophy last season.
In terms of individual awards, Erling Haaland was named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year for the 2022/23 season, which was then followed up by Phil Foden being named the Premier League Player of the Season for his previous campaign.
Now – however – the international teammate of another City star has been sharing his thoughts on how this particular player has not yet been awarded the most prestigious individual accolade in football.
Dani Vivian claims Rodri should have won a Ballon d’Or
In a recent interview with A Bola, Athletic Bilbao player Dani Vivian had this to say about Rodri and what level of recognition he deserves to get.
He said: “The grass is always greener in other places, but for my part, I think Rodri is without a doubt the best player in the world, but he doesn’t benefit from the marketing campaign that other players have behind them.
“He should have already won the Ballon d’Or when he won the Champions League, scoring the winning goal in the final.
“We must value what we already have at home and give credit to players who are doing extraordinary things, like Rodri, [Dani] Carvajal, everyone.”
Rodri should be in the running to win the next Ballon d’Or
Having won many domestic and European trophies during his five years at the Etihad Stadium, and playing a key role for the team along the way, Rodri has proved himself to be a crucial figure for the Blues.
In fact, Andy Townsend recently said that the 28-year-old is the one irreplaceable player in City’s team.
In the previous Ballon d’Or rankings, the Spaniard came fifth, leaving Kevin De Bruyne (fourth) as the only midfielder to finish above him.
Having played a prominent role in City’s latest Premier League-winning campaign, we feel that if Rodri helps Spain beat England in Sunday’s final of the 2024 European Championship, he should definitely be in the running to win the next Ballon d’Or.
