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.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup may have come to an end, but fans are still talking about its historic entertainment lineup.
From the opening ceremony to the first-ever FIFA World Cup halftime show and the closing ceremony, the tournament featured performances from some of the biggest artists in the world.
Some of the performers included:
- Madonna
- BTS
- Shakira
- Burna Boy
- Justin Bieber
- Chris Martin (Coldplay)
- Jennifer Hudson
- Robbie Williams
- Nicole Scherzinger
- Laura Pausini
- Post Malone
- PS22 Chorus
- Gustavo Dudamel and orchestra
Football legend Thierry Henry has reacted to Lionel Messi’s emotional response after Argentina lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain.
It can be recalled that Spain defeated Argentina to lift the 2026 World Cup trophy. While Spain celebrated their victory, cameras captured Messi in tears after the final whistle.
Henry said Messi’s reaction showed just how much the game still means to him.
“Look at what it means to him. If you ever had any doubt about whether the guy still has any fire in his belly, look at him. Look at what it means.”
He added “You won already. And look at the guy. Look at the passion, desire and the love that he has for his country and how much he puts into it.”
Football legend Rio Ferdinand has shared his prediction ahead of the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
While many have backed different teams to lift the trophy, Ferdinand said some fans have underestimated Argentina’s quality.
He said “I find it difficult to bet against Argentina. They have demonstrated remarkable character, determination, and resilience. I believe people have been somewhat disrespectful by calling them an average team; they are not.”
He continued “I think it is inappropriate and disrespectful. If you are saying that, you clearly do not watch enough football, as they are an excellent team, and in challenging situations, they become even better and stronger. However, I do believe Spain will win the match.”
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