Pep Guardiola: Rodri's Ballon d'Or is a milestone for Manchester City

Midfielder becomes first player from club to claim prestigious prize

Manchester City's Rodri receives the 2024 Men's Ballon d'Or at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, Monday, October 28, 2024. AP

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says that Rodri winning the Ballon d'Or is a great source of pride for everyone at the club.

The City midfielder, currently sidelined for the rest of the current campaign with an ACL injury, won the prestigious award for his exploits last season.

Rodri won the 2023/24 Premier League with City and was player of the tournament as Spain lifted Euro 2024. He received the award at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday night and in doing so became the first ever City player to win the Ballon d'Or.

The pre-award favourite Vinicius Jr came in second with both him and his club Real Madrid choosing to boycott the event as a result.

Speaking ahead of City's League Cup trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night, Guardiola said the award was another marker of their progress.

"What can I say? First, to congratulate him and all his family and their friends, it's incredible news for him and for all of us," said the Catalan coach.

"All Manchester City, our fans, we are so proud of him. We could never have imagined this years ago, that one [City] player could receive this prestigious award.

"We are so delighted to share it with him and hopefully, it can give him energy to recover well for next season and be with us again."

Pep Guardiola says Rodri is a worthy winner of the Ballon d'Or. Reuters

Guardiola, himself a former defensive midfielder who won 47 caps for the Spain national team, said it was refreshing to see a rare instance of a midfielder claiming the prize, and said the Ballon d'Or is now wide open after years of domination by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Asked about a holding midfielder winning, he said: "Why not? Central defenders have won it in the past. It is normal, forwards score the goals and do the incredible actions. [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano [Ronaldo] have been unbelievable, they were another level.

"Now, it is narrower. Everyone can win it. That will happen when people are allowed to vote, you have to accept the result, simple. Tomorrow is another game, another season - you try to do it again. In sport, you lose more than you win. It teaches you a lot.

"Rodri made an incredible speech," Guardiola added. "He spoke about family, Man City and Spanish football. In the last decade, Spanish football has made such a difference – they've won a World Cup, a Euros - and Spain were never able to win this award before.

"Their importance in the last 10 or 15 years has been so important. I remember once we nominated three players from La Masia. Xavi and Iniesta couldn't win it because Messi's a monster and nobody could beat him – just Cristiano [Ronaldo]. He's a monster and the father of the monster is Messi."

Asked about Real Madrid's headline-grabbing snub of the ceremony, the City manager issued a reminder that the award is voted for by journalists from around the world, not decided by committee.

"It's up to [Real Madrid]. If they want to congratulate, that's fine. If not, that's fine as well. At Manchester City, we are not here to judge other clubs on what they decide they have to do," said Guardiola.

"Last season for example, Erling [Haaland] won the treble, scored more than 50 goals. I said to him 'just being there, you have to be so happy'. I said the same to Rodri. If you are in the first two, three or four, it's exceptional. You have to be so satisfied.

"Last season, should Erling have won? Yes. Should Messi have won? Yes. It's not important [who wins]. It represents that you and your teammates have done something really nice that season.

"Should it be Vinicius? Maybe. It's [voted by] journalists, you know, not an elite group of people who decide. It's [people] all around the world that votes, not just one country. There are different opinions, and that's what makes football nice, no?"

Meanwhile, speaking for the first time since rivals Manchester United sacked manager Erik ten Hag, Guardiola tipped the Dutch coach to come back stronger.

"I feel very sorry for him," he said. "It's one of the best jobs in football. There's only us, it's not teachers or architects or something like that.

"I wish him all the best and he will come back stronger. If the results aren't good enough, you get sacked. No-one is different, myself included."