Spanish midfielders Rodri and Aitana Bonmatí were crowned the winners of the prestigious Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best soccer players. Rodri, aged 28, claimed his first Ballon d’Or after a stellar season with Manchester City, where he played a pivotal role in securing the Premier League title and contributed significantly to Spain’s European Championship victory. The Spanish maestro succeeded Lionel Messi, an eight-time winner from Argentina. Rodri, who is currently sidelined due to an ACL injury, expressed his gratitude for the honor and emphasized his commitment to continuous improvement.
On the women's side, 26-year-old Aitana Bonmatí successfully defended her Ballon d’Or title after an outstanding season with Barcelona, where she played a key role in securing the Spanish league, Spanish cup, and Champions League titles. Bonmatí, who received the award from Oscar winner Natalie Portman, acknowledged the support of her teammates and clubs in her development as a football player.
Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior was among the finalists for the men's award, alongside Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal, but did not attend the ceremony in Paris. Carlo Ancelotti, the Real Madrid coach, was honored as the coach of the year. Despite not being present, Vinícius finished as the runner-up in the voting.
Notably, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo, who have a combined total of 13 Ballon d’Or wins, were in contention for this year's award, marking the first time since 2003 that they were absent from the running.
The Ballon d’Or, established by France Football magazine in 1956 for men and in 2018 for women, is determined by votes from journalists representing the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings. The winners are selected based on a points system, with journalists ranking their top 10 players.
In addition to the individual awards, Spain and Barcelona players enjoyed further success with Lamine Yamal winning the Kopa award for best Under-21 player, and Barca being named the best women’s team. Real Madrid was recognized as the best men’s team, while Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane shared the Gerd Mueller award for most club and country goals last season.
Other notable awards included Emiliano Martínez retaining the Lev Yashin award for best goalkeeper, and special recognition given to coaches Carlo Ancelotti and Emma Hayes. Spain forward Jenni Hermoso received the Socrates award for her humanitarian efforts, and a special tribute was paid to the family of the late German legend Franz Beckenbauer.
