Barcelona star backs Rodri after Ballon d’Or triumph amid Vinicius Jr and Real Madrid criticism | OneFootball

Barcelona and Spain international star Inigo Martinez has revealed his support for Rodri after his Ballon d’Or success last month.

The Manchester City defensive midfield star took home the award ahead of Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr, sparking a barrage of outrage from the Spanish capital and among Brazilian press over the Los Blancos star’s failure in Paris.

Inside the Etihad camp however, Rodri becoming the first player in the club’s history to win the award honouring the best footballer in the world was celebrated to no end, and the former Atletico Madrid man was quick to reveal his pride.

“Winning the Ballon d’Or is the realisation of a dream and a genuine honour for me,” Rodri said after the ceremony.

“I have given so much to football, and to be rewarded this evening with the most revered individual prize in the game is something incredibly special for me and my family.”

Outside of the partisan bubble that was Madrid and Manchester in the wake of Rodri’s success, some opinions cut through the criticism in support of the 28-year-old. One of which was Barcelona defender Inigo Martinez – Rodri’s international teammate.

“In the end, everyone has their own way of thinking,” Martinez said in an interview with Sport. “There are 100 journalists who vote and if they voted for Rodri because they believe that he deserved it more than Vinicius.”

He continued, “I’m happy for Rodri, I know him and the truth is that seeing him there with a Ballon d’Or made me happy. I hope to continue seeing him for many years up there too.”

Despite off-field success, it’s been a disappointing 2024/25 campaign for Rodri, who went down with an ACL injury against Arsenal earlier in the season. While some reports back the Spaniard to return in 2025, the message from club indicates an absence for the whole of the campaign.

Manchester City have struggled in his absence, most recently dropping a Champions League match 4-1 away to Sporting CP, their third successive defeat after losses at Tottenham and Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup and the Premier League respectively.

They will have to turn their attention back to the latter however, as they travel back to the south coast to square off with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, a fixture that has given them trouble in the recent past.