Sport
“Rodri Deserved 2023 Ballon d’Or but Vinicius Deserved 2024” – Ancelotti
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti believes Manchester City’s Rodri should have won the 2023 Ballon d’Or. Speaking ahead of his team’s Champions League clash against City, Ancelotti shared his thoughts on past and present award winners.
Lionel Messi took home the 2023 Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of stars like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Kevin De Bruyne, and Rodri, who placed fifth. But in 2024, the Manchester City midfielder finally claimed the prize, beating Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, who finished second and third.
That result didn’t sit well with the Madrid camp. In protest, the club, including Ancelotti, skipped the awards ceremony in Paris. While the Italian coach praised Rodri’s talent, he made it clear that he felt Vinicius should have been the 2024 winner.
“I don’t think skipping the ceremony was a bad decision,” Ancelotti said. “We believed Vini Jr. was the rightful winner. But that doesn’t mean we don’t respect Rodri. He’s a fantastic player, and in our view, he should have won it the year before.”
It has been reported that football club Udinese has demanded the sum of €15 million to sell their Nigerian player, Maduka Okoye.
It has been noted by football transfer expert, Ekrem Konur, that the player has been offered to Galatasaray club.
However, the clubs are still in negotiations before the transfer can occur. This transfer offer was prompted by the fact that the Nigerian player was filed on a sporting fraud case and faces the risk of getting a four-year ban if found guilty.
Victor Boniface has opened up about turning down a move to the English Premier League, despite receiving attractive offers in the past. The Nigerian striker, who currently stars for Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, said he’s not a fan of the Premier League and prefers to avoid clubs that come with too much pressure.
Speaking on The Culture League podcast, the 24-year-old explained that he always considers the style of play and environment before agreeing to any move. “It’s not that I wouldn’t go to the Premier League if the chance came,” he said. “But for me, it has to be the right team. I look at the way they play, how they operate, and how much pressure comes with being there.”
He revealed that after a strong season in Belgium, he received big-money offers from England but turned them down because the fit didn’t feel right. “Some players don’t perform well under intense pressure,” Boniface said. “So I chose a team where I felt I could truly grow and enjoy football.”
Lionel Messi continued his incredible run of form on Saturday, scoring twice in Inter Miami’s 2-0 win over Nashville SC. The 38-year-old captain made history once again, becoming the first player in MLS to score multiple goals in five straight matches; a record he just set last week with four consecutive braces.
Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a stunning free-kick, marking the 69th direct free-kick goal of his career. He sealed the win in the 62nd minute, calmly rounding the goalkeeper before slotting the ball into the net. With 16 goals this season, Messi now shares the top scorer spot with Nashville’s Sam Surridge.
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