Rodri has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo's Ballon d'Or award as 'unfair' after the Manchester City star was awarded the prize in October.
Ronaldo appeared to question the credibility of the historic awards ceremony as he attended the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards.
During the event, Vinicius Jr. named the best men's footballer of the year, while Rodri had claimed the equivalent accolade at the Ballon d'Or in Paris.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner emphasized that Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. should also have been given credit for his achievements in 2024.
Ronaldo said: 'Vinicius Jr. should have won the Ballon d'Or, that was clear in my opinion.
'It was unfair. That's why I love the Globe Soccer Awards, they're fair.”
Rodri was asked about Ronaldo's statement in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, with the star labeling the comments as a 'surprise'.
“Well, it was actually a surprise, because he knows better than anyone how this prize works and especially how the winner is chosen,” said Rodri.
“This year, the journalists who vote have decided that I should win the election.
“It was probably the same journalists who at one point voted for him to win the election, and I imagine he would have agreed.”
Rodri had claimed the men's Ballon d'Or after helping City become the first team ever to win four consecutive top-flight titles in England.
The midfielder was also an integral part of Luis de la Fuente's European Championship-winning Spain side.
Rodri, who had lost just one club match in 18 months, became the first Premier League player to achieve the feat since Ronaldo himself at Manchester United in 2008.
His victory proved controversial when Real Madrid chose to withdraw a 50-man delegation just hours before their ceremony.
The Spanish giants were reportedly tipped off that Vinicius, the bookmakers' favorite for the prize, had not won.
Since the ceremony, Vinicius has scooped the Best FIFA Men's Player award, and was also honored at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards.
Comments