Vinicius claims racism fight cost him Ballon d'Or

Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world on Monday, beating Brazil's Vinicius Jr and England's Jude Bellingham, both of Real Madrid, to the prestigious prize.

Barcelona's Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the women's award for a second time.

Rodri, a first-time winner of the award, was instrumental in helping his team win an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League trophy last season. He was also named best player at this year's European Championship after Spain lifted a record-extending fourth title.

The 28-year-old Madrid native is the first defensive midfielder to win the Ballon d'Or since Lothar Matthaus in 1990 and the third Spaniard to claim the prize after Alfredo Di Stefano (1957 and 1959) and Luis Suarez (1960).

While the award has been dominated by Spanish league players, no Spaniard had won since Barcelona great Luis Suarez more than 60 years ago, despite Spain's "golden generation" that won the 2010 World Cup, the 2008 and 2012 Euros.

But Rodri, the player City coach Pep Guardiola said is "the best midfielder in the world", finally ended that run with a unique skillset that has made his club the dominant force in England and helped Spain rule Europe again.

"Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, for so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like (Andres) Iniesta, Xavi (Hernandez), Iker (Casillas), Sergio Busquets, so many others. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder," Rodri said on stage at the ceremony.

"Today many friends have written to me and have told me that football has won, for giving visibility to so many midfielders who have a job in the shadows and today it is coming to light.

"I'm a regular guy with values, who studies, who tries to do things right and doesn't try to follow the stereotypes and even so I have been able to get to the top, and it is thanks to all of you."

No Messi or Ronaldo

Rodri became the third person not named Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the award since 2008. It was the first time since 2003 in which neither Messi nor Ronaldo made the final 30-man list of nominees.

Portugal's Ronaldo, who has won the award five times and was the last Premier League player to win it in 2008, also failed to receive a nomination last year after moving to Saudi Arabia. Messi, who won for a record eighth time in 2023, missed out despite Argentina's Copa America triumph.

Rodri has only lost a match once in the past 18 months -- City's surprise FA Cup final defeat by Manchester United last season.

Earlier, Rodri's national teammate Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for the best Under-21 player by helping Spain to a perfect Euro 2024 campaign, winning all seven games en route to lifting the trophy.

Bonmati won the women's Ballon d'Or for the second consecutive year while compatriot Jennifer Hermoso was awarded the Socrates Award for her role in the fight for women's rights in football and her courageous stance against sexism in sport.

Real Madrid had decided to boycott the ceremony in anticipation of Vinicius not winning the men's award.

No-one from the club was present when they won the men’s club of the year award, and their manager Carlo Ancelotti was named men’s coach of the year while Barcelona grabbed the trophy for women’s best club after both teams won the European and Spanish league double last season.

Vinicius believes fighting racism led to Ballon d'Or defeat

Vinicius took to social media after finishing second in the prestigious award voting behind Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri.

"I will do it 10 times if I have to. They're not ready," Vinicius posted on X after his LaLiga side Real Madrid cancelled their plans to attend the ceremony in Paris, boycotting it in anticipation of the Brazilian not winning the men's award.

Asked what Vinicius meant with his post, his management staff told Reuters that he was referring to his fight against racism and that they believe it was what led to him not winning the award, saying that "the football world is not ready to accept a player who fights against the system."

The 24-year-old Brazil international has been subjected to racial abuse on several occasions in Spain, leading to at least two convictions for racist insults in pioneer cases in the country.