Rodri denies Real Madrid move was snub over Ballon d’Or boycott, cites reasons
Abdullateef Fowewe
Manchester City midfielder Rodri, now at FC Barcelona, has directly rejected claims that he turned down Real Madrid because of the club’s 2024 Ballon d’Or boycott, insisting his decision was based purely on sporting considerations.
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Rodri addressed summer-2026 transfer speculation that linked him with Los Blancos after the World Cup, saying, “It’s not true that I rejected Real Madrid because they boycott that Ballon d’Or. At the time, it didn’t affect me. It was my special day.”
He added, “There’s no point in talking about people who were not at the ceremony. It was a beautiful moment for my family and I.”
The clarification comes after Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or ahead of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, prompting the Spanish giants to boycott the Paris gala entirely and skip awards for coach, club, and players despite multiple nominations.
Rodri also spoke about the difficulty of choosing between two of the world’s biggest clubs, “Saying ‘no’ to Real Madrid was not easy, especially since they treated me so well. I had to consider a lot of things and make a really important decision involving two of the best clubs in the world.”
He stressed the decision was driven by footballing factors,
“I made my decision based on sporting aspects, on what excited me more and where I felt I could win and grow the most as a player.”
Now settled at Camp Nou, Rodri praised the reception from Barça supporters and pledged full commitment stating, “I was impressed with the Barcelona fans. I felt their love from the first day.
“I came here to give everything I’ve got, and to make them even happier,” he added, signaling his intent with the club’s blue-and-red identity.
