Rodri spotted in Paris for Ballon d’Or ceremony as Real Madrid cancel trip amid Vinicius Jr snub reports

Manchester City and Spain international superstar Rodri has arrived in Paris ahead of Monday night’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in the French capital.

The 28-year-old is widely believed to be the outstanding favourite to claim the Ballon d’Or in Paris on Monday evening, following yet another exemplary individual campaign for both club and country across competitions.

Having played an integral role in Manchester City claiming a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title last season, Rodri added to his success by performing at the very highest level for his country.

Over the course of the summer months, Rodri played a vital role in Luis de la Fuente’s Spain side winning the European Championships by defeating all of Germany, France, and England in the eventual final.

In recognition of his outstanding performances on the European stage, Rodri was also crowned Player of the Tournament at Euro2024, in an achievement that further heightened his chances of becoming the first defensive midfield Ballon d’Or winner since Lothar Matthäus.

And in addition to representatives and other nominees from Manchester City, Rodri has now arrived in Paris on a day when there is a growing feeling that he will emerge victorious for football’s biggest individual award.

As captured by Arancha Rodriguez reporting on the ground for Tiempo de Juego in Paris, Manchester City’s Rodri has arrived at his hotel to prepare for Monday evening’s Ballon d’Or ceremony alongside other members of the Premier League champions’ delegation.

As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Brazil’s Vinicius Jr will not travel to Paris on Monday as both he and Real Madrid now know that he will not win the Ballon d’Or award for 2024, with nobody from the La Liga giants travelling for the ceremony.

Among those not attending the ceremony will be Real Madrid president, Florentino Pérez, manager Carlo Ancelotti, star England international midfielder Jude Bellingham, and of course, Vinicius Jr.

From the side of Real Madrid, a report from The Athletic’s Mario Cortegana has stated that the La Liga giants believe that Manchester City’s Rodri will be announced as the winner of the Ballon d’Or award on Monday night.

Speaking on his nomination for the award earlier this year, Rodri said, “It’s great to be there with these players. It’s great that people value your performance and talent.

“For me, it’s already a victory what people say about me, the recognition I have. It’s not something that has pushed me, individual awards. It’s a consequence of work. But I think it’d be great for my country.”

The Manchester City midfielder continued, “We’ve just won [the Euros], we have some of the best players ever, and have the best football. It’d be good – not just for me, I’d say for any Spanish player – for the country.”