Ballon d'Or 2024 winner Rodri sends message to missing Real Madrid star

Manchester City star Rodri magnanimously celebrated winning the Ballon d'Or with a touching nod to Dani Carvajal - on the night his Spain team-mate's Real Madrid pals boycotted the awards in Paris.

Rodri, 28, took the top prize after he helped Spain win the European Championship and lifted the Premier League trophy for a fourth consecutive season with City.

Rodri, who was helped on to the stage after arriving on crutches, having been ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, immediately declared "I have so many people to thank" before reeling off a number of names, including girlfriend Laura, his family and his Manchester City team-mates, of whom he stated: "I know I wouldn't be here without you."

He continued: "I'd like to thank the national team and Luis (de la Fuente) for trusting me for so long. My colleagues with whom I won the Euros," before name-checking full-back Carvajal, who led Real Madrid to Champions League and La Liga glory last term.

He stated: "Carvajal, he should've been here with me."

Instead, the veteran full-back, who scored Los Blancos' opener in last season's Champions League Final win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, was back in Madrid, resting, after undergoing surgery on his own serious knee injury.

But Rodri's night, which he declared was "not just a victory for me, but for Spanish football" was rather overshadowed by the decision from the Santiago Bernabeu, led by president Florentino Perez, not to board a private jet for Paris at the last minute and to remain in the Spanish capital, after learning Vinicius Jr had been beaten to the award.

Madrid, led by Perez, the players' representatives and the Madrid-based press, have thrown their weight behind a major push to win the award for Vinicius Jr in recent months. They have even gone so far as to refuse to answer questions on Jude Bellingham - who finished third - being a potential winner, during the pitch to make the Brazil international the latest in a long line of winners while wearing the club's pristine white shirt.

In truth, Vinicius too would have been a deserving winner, such has been the consistent level of outstanding performance the 24-year-old has produced in the past 12 months. But in something akin to a child throwing a hissy fit, the decision was made that everyone from the club would boycott the events after they learned ahead of time that he hadn't won.

A statement from Real said: "If the award criteria doesn't give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner. As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d'Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected."

Rodri's triumph saw him become the first Spaniard to claim the award in 64 years. Within seconds, Madrid's players were on social media criticising the decision, slamming "football politics", while Vinicius Jr took to social media to declared: "I'll do it 10x if I have to. They're not ready."

On a night of joy for Rodri, Real's dirty game left a sour taste.