It was Manchester City midfielder Rodri who grabbed attention by winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or award 2024 in Men’s category. This honour went to Rodri for his outstanding performances for Spain national team and for Manchester City, if we see his past record Rodri played a crucial role, especially in helping City secure the Premier League title last season. Also for Spanish camp he impressed recently in Euro 2024, where he delivered an impressive performance for mix.
Although Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. was widely considered the favourite for this year’s Ballon d’Or and a strong contender, the award became controversial when reports came that the winner had been leaked just a few hours before the ceremony. In response, the Spanish club announced that its delegation would not attend the ceremony at the Châtelet Theatre, perceiving it as a snub to Vinicius. Besides Real Madrid’s star Vinicius Jr., Rodri thumped England’s prodigy Jude Bellingham to win the prestigious award. In the women’s category, the spotlight was on Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati, who won her second consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or. Bonmati played a vital role at Barcelona, helping the club secure four major titles, and also contributed to Spain’s success in winning the Nations League. See who won what at the Ballon d’Or 2024.
Who won awards at the Ballon d’Or 2024 ?
| Award | Recipient(s) |
| Men’s Ballon d’Or | Rodri (ESP/Manchester City) |
| Women’s Ballon d’Or | Aitana Bonmati (ESP/Barcelona) |
| Johan Cruyff Trophy for best men’s coach | Carlo Ancelotti (ITA/Real Madrid) |
| Johan Cruyff Trophy for best women’s coach | Emma Hayes (ENG/ex-Chelsea, now USA women’s national team) |
| Gerd Muller Trophy for top scorer | Kylian Mbappé (FRA/ex-Paris Saint-Germain), Harry Kane (ENG/Bayern Munich) – 52 goals each |
| Raymond Kopa Trophy for best young player | Lamine Yamal (ESP/Barcelona) |
| Lev Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper | Emiliano Martinez (ARG/Aston Villa) |
| Socrates Prize for charity work | Jenifer Hermoso (ESP/Tigres Monterrey) |
| Best men’s team | Real Madrid |
| Best women’s team | Barcelona |
Is there a cash prize for Ballon d’Or winner
Ballon d’Or winners don’t receive any direct payment for the award. However, there are reports claiming that some players have a bonus in their contracts from their teams or sponsors if they win the Ballon d’Or. But yes, Ballon d’Or winners receive a lifetime pass to all upcoming award shows.
