Rodri wins Ballon d'Or, Bonmati claims second title

Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world, beating Brazil's Vinicius Jr and England's Jude Bellingham, both of Real Madrid, to the prestigious prize.

Barcelona's Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the women's award for a second time.

Rodri, a first-time winner of the award, was instrumental in helping his team win an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League trophy last season, and 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).

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.

Earlier, 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.

Bonmati won the women's Ballon d'Or for the second consecutive year while 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.

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, while Barcelona grabbed the trophy for women’s best club after both teams won the European and Spanish league double last season.