September 5th 2024.
Football legends Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer recently came together to discuss the highly anticipated Ballon d'Or award for the year 2024. Along with fellow pundit Micah Richards, they all agreed on who they believe should win the prestigious individual prize in world football.
The 30-man shortlist for the award was recently revealed and it includes six talented players from England, following their impressive run to the Euro 2024 final. Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Harry Kane, and Phil Foden all had incredible seasons, but it was Jude Bellingham who stood out the most in his debut campaign for Real Madrid and is seen as the Three Lions' best hope for the award.
Bellingham's Real Madrid teammates Vinicius Junior and Dani Carvajal are also among the frontrunners for the Ballon d'Or, after their success in winning both the La Liga and Champions League titles. However, for Lineker, Shearer, and Richards, there is only one deserving winner. They all agreed that Manchester City's Rodri should be the one taking home the trophy.
"There's only one player winning it," said Shearer on The Rest is Football podcast. "It can only be him. I think he should win and will win it."
The full list of nominees for the Ballon d'Or includes top players such as Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland, Toni Kroos, and Kylian Mbappe. However, it was Rodri's impressive season at Manchester City, where he won the Premier League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup, that stood out the most. He was even named player of the competition for the latter.
Rodri's incredible 74-game unbeaten run with his club, which lasted from February 2023 to May 2024, was only ended by a defeat in the FA Cup final to Manchester United. And it's not just his performances at club level that give him an edge in the Ballon d'Or race, as he was also named player of the tournament when Spain won the Euro 2024 over the summer.
According to Betfair, Vinicius Junior is the current favorite to win the award, with odds of 4/9. However, Lineker and Richards both believe that Rodri deserves the award for his leadership on the field, both for Manchester City and for Spain. They also mentioned Bellingham and Carvajal as strong contenders.
"I think Rodri deserves it," said Lineker. "Obviously, they didn't win the Champions League at City, but they did win the Premier League and then the Euros with Spain, where he was very much their leader."
Richards added, "If Bellingham had won the Euros with England, he would be a big shout, a big possibility." He also mentioned Lamine Yamal as a potential young player of the year, saying, "He could win that for the next five years!"
The winner of the Ballon d'Or will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on October 28. It's sure to be an exciting event, with top players like Vinicius Junior, Rodri, and Bellingham all in the running for the prestigious award.
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