- Rodri became only the third different player to win the Ballon d'Or apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi since 2008
- The Manchester City midfield metronome beat Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham to the award
- Legit.ng looks at the perks the Euro 2024 winning star will get after becoming the first EPL player to win it since Ronaldo
Rodri was announced as the winner of the 2024 Ballon d'Or during the awards ceremony in Paris on Monday night.
After months of everyone thinking Vinicius Junior would win, a late twist happened a few hours before the ceremony that saw Rodri clinch the most lucrative individual award in football.
The Manchester City midfielder was present in person to receive his award despite being injured, as Vinicius and Real Madrid gave the ceremony a wide berth.
"I would like to thank those who voted for me and put their trust in me. Today is a very special day for me and for my family, my country," said Rodri in his acceptance speech.How much does the Ballon d'Or winner get?
While the debate on whether the Euro 2024 winner was a deserved winner or not continues, attention will momentarily shift to what the Ballon d'Or is worth to players.
It is vital to note that there is no known prize money on offer for winning the Ballon d'Or. This means that Rodri, or Lionel Messi last year, and the many other winners of yesteryear, did not get a dime for being crowned football royalty.
However, as the Athletic expounds, there are indirect rewards that come after winning the Golden Ball. A player is assured of a windfall through endorsements and sponsorship deals and, depending on the deals they have with their clubs, hefty bonuses.
The winners are also guaranteed a lifetime ticket to future Ballon d'Or ceremonies.
How Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d'Or Award
Legit.ng has also broken down how Rodri beat Vinicius Junior to the award.
Real Madrid were left red-faced after their Brazilian superstar was ignored for the award.
There are three criteria the voters look at before deciding on the winner.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke