Ballon d’Or: Guardiola confirms those who picked Rodri as winner ahead of Vinicius

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has moved to play down talks that they influenced Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win.

Rodri was announced as the 2024 winner on Monday ahead of hot favourite, Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.

It led to the LaLiga champions boycotting the event and fans called Rodri’s win the ‘biggest robbery in football history’.

But, speaking to the media today, Guardiola said: “Vinicius should’ve won the Ballon d’Or? Maybe, but it’s what happened. It’s journalists; it’s not a group of elite people that decide what they have to do. It’s all around the world; it’s not just one country votes.”