Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has sparked controversy by claiming that Manchester City midfielder Rodri deserved to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or. Speaking ahead of Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League playoffs first leg tie with Man City, Ancelotti expressed his admiration for Rodri, who finished fifth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings.
However, Ancelotti also insisted that his player, Vinicius Junior, was robbed of the 2024 Ballon d’Or award, which was won by Rodri. The Real Madrid contingent, including Ancelotti, boycotted the 2024 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris in protest.
Ancelotti defended the team’s decision to snub the ceremony, stating that they didn’t want to be involved because they believed Vinicius Junior was the rightful winner. Despite this, Ancelotti praised Rodri as a “fantastic player” who deserved to win the award in 2023.
The comments are likely to add fuel to the debate over the Ballon d’Or awards and the criteria used to select the winner.
