Spain's Aitana Bonmati, Rodri win Ballon d'Or for best players in world

Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmati and Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri inspect his Ballon d'Or trophy. Photo: AFP

Barcelona's Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati has been crowned best women's footballer in the world for a second time, while Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri has won the Ballon d'Or for best men's player.

Rodri beat Brazil's Vinicius Jr and England's Jude Bellingham, both of Real Madrid, to the prestigious prize.

Real Madrid had decided to boycott the ceremony in anticipation of Vinicius not winning the men's award.

No-one from the club was present when they won the men's club of the year award, and their manager Carlo Ancelotti was named men's coach of the year.

Bonmati won the Ballon d'Or for the second consecutive year. She scored 19 goals in four competitions - Liga F, the Champions League, Supercopa and Copa de la Reina - all of which Barcelona won.

"I always say this is not something that you can do alone, I'm so lucky to be surrounded by wonderful players who help me to keep growing into a better player," Bonmati told the awards ceremony in Paris.

Bonmati's compatriot Jennifer Hermoso was awarded the Socrates Award for her role in the fight for women's rights in football and her courageous stance against sexism in sport.

Barcelona grabbed the trophy for women's best club, while Emma Hayes became the first women's coach of the year winner after taking Chelsea to their fifth consecutive Women's Super League title.

Rodri, a first-time winner of the award, was instrumental in helping his team win an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League trophy last season. He was also named best player at this year's European Championship after Spain lifted a record-extending fourth title.

The 28-year-old Madrid native is the first defensive midfielder to win the Ballon d'Or since Lothar Matthaus in 1990 and the third Spaniard to claim the prize after Alfredo Di Stefano (1957 and 1959) and Luis Suarez (1960).

While the award has been dominated by Spanish league players, no Spaniard had won since Barcelona great Luis Suarez more than 60 years ago, despite Spain's "golden generation" that won the 2010 World Cup, the 2008 and 2012 Euros.

But Rodri, the player City coach Pep Guardiola said is "the best midfielder in the world", finally ended that run with a unique skillset that has made his club the dominant force in England and helped Spain rule Europe again.

"Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, for so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like (Andres) Iniesta, Xavi (Hernandez), Iker (Casillas), Sergio Busquets, so many others. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder," Rodri said on stage.

Rodri became the third person not named Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the award since 2008. It was the first time since 2003 in which neither Messi nor Ronaldo made the final 30-man list of nominees.

Rodri's national teammate Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for the best Under-21 player by helping Spain to a perfect Euro 2024 campaign, winning all seven games en route to lifting the trophy.

England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane and France and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe shared the Gerd Muller Trophy for best goalscorer, while Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was adjudged best goalkeeper.

- Reuters/RNZ Sport