Rodri wins Ballon d’Or 2024: When was the last time a midfielder won the award before the Spaniard?

Rodri played a vital role in the Manchester City side that won a record fourth consecutive Premier League title in the 2023-24 season and also helped Spain lift Euro 2024.

Spain’s and Manchester City’s Rodri with the Ballon d’Or in Paris, France. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Rodri has been named the winner of the Ballon d’Or 2024 award at the ceremony held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on Monday, becoming the first Manchester City player to bag the prestigious award.

The Spaniard, who won a treble (Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup) with the club in the 2022-23 season, played a vital role in Pep Guardiola’s team that won a record fourth consecutive Premier League title in the 2023-24 season.

The 28-year-old was also pivotal in guiding Spain to a record fourth European Championship title earlier this year in Germany and was named the best player of the tournament. 

He is also only the third player other than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award in the last 16 years.

Rodri is also the first midfielder to win the award since Luka Modric in 2018. The Real Madrid player ended a 10-year Messi-Ronaldo dominance and became the first Croatian to win the award.

In 2018, Modric won the Champions League with Real Madrid for the fourth time in his career. He was the best player for Croatia as he captained it to the World Cup final for the first time ever.

Additionally he won UEFA’s Midfielder of the Season, the World Cup Golden Ball and The Best FIFA Men’s Player awards.