Ballon d'Or nominee Rodri has reportedly told ESPN that "it would be a dream" to win the Ballon d'Or and also end the Spain drought of winning the precious individual award, as no Spaniard has won the Ballon d’Or since Barcelona’s Luis Suarez in 1960.
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The 30 men's nominees for the prestigious annual individual award 2024 Ballon d'Or were officially released earlier in September ahead of the awards night ceremony, which will take place on Monday, October 28, at the grandiose Théâtre du Châtelet, located at the Place du Châtelet in Paris. However, for the first time since 2003, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both failed to make the shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or. You can check the full names of the nominees in the article below.
Manchester City forward Rodri, after winning a fourth successive Premier League with his club and being named Euro 2024 Player of the Tournament after playing a crucial part in Spain winning the title, was named among the nominees for the tournament.
While speaking to ESPN, Rodri says that "it would be a dream" for him and for Spain to win the Ballon d'Or when it is awarded in Paris on October 28.
"Of course it would be a dream for me."There are a lot of people who say if Rodri is going to win it, how, for example, did [Andres] Iniesta or Xavi not win it? "In part, I agree. They were players who marked an era, some of the best in history, but it is also true that, at the end of the day, they were part of a generation that included Messi and Cristiano. "But it would be a source of pride for me and for my country to win it. Having a Spanish representative who is capable of winning the Ballon d'Or enriches everyone. "We all know in Spain, because we just have one winner, that the last one was Luis Suarez many years ago. I didn't watch him of course and don't know much about him, but it's a shock that maybe one of the best countries in history in terms of football doesn't have more players that have won it. "But football is like this. There have been great players over the years, but I think Spain deserves one because we have some great players that make history with the clubs, history with the countries."
The winner of the Ballon d'Or will be confirmed on October 28 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, and ahead of the tournament, you can place a bet on who you think will win the Ballon d'Or, with bookmakers offering Vinicius Junior as the favorite and Rodri as the second favorite to win the award.
| Players | 1xBet Odds | Paripesa Odds |
| Vinicius Junior | 1.40 | 1.40 |
| Rodri | 2.80 | 2.80 |
| Jude Bellingham | 15.00 | 15.00 |
| Dani Carvajal | 30.00 | 30.00 |
| Kylian Mbappe | 40.00 | 40.00 |
| Erling Haaland | 40.00 | 40.00 |
| Lamine Yamal | 40.00 | 40.00 |
