The Egyptian superstar, 32, is favourite to win the award, regarded as the top individual prize in football, after a sensational campaign so far.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti vehemently defended his sides’ decision to boycott the Ballon d’Or award ceremony last year in protest of Vinicius Jr’s snub and said that Rodri, who edged out Vinicius for the award, should have won the prize a year earlier instead of Lionel Messi.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri took the prestigious prize in October with favourite Vinicius in second place
“Why would it hurt me? It was my moment, to enjoy with my family. The last thing I’d be thinking about is people who weren’t there, and didn’t want to participate,” Rodri said in an interview with COPE radio.
It was revealed that five of the 99 journalists who voted for this year’s Ballon d’Or left eventual winner Rodri out of their top 10 list while three journos did not have Vinicius Junior, who came second after the Spanish midfielder, in the top 10 of their ballot.
Brazil coach Dorival Junior said that it was an injustice that forward Vinicius Junior did not win the Ballon d’Or this year.
"Honestly I don't see it as extraordinary, even if some people do... when I was little I also looked on from the outside, watching from my house seeing Messi lift Ballons d'Or and thinking it was incredible. Once you are on the inside, you take it normally, naturally, although if I stop to think about it, it's something really big."
Rodri becoming the first Manchester City player to win the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world on Monday did come as a surprise to many, and with ample reasons too as he pipped favourite Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid and Brazil to lift the most prestigious individual award in football.
European champions Real announced their decision to skip Monday night's gala ceremony in Paris just hours before it took place after apparently learning that their Brazilian striker Vinicius had not won the men's award.
"It stays in the back of my mind, which is normal. If I keep going like this, I don't think I'll be very far off it,"
Veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the front-runner to unseat far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a presidential runoff this month, thanked Brazilian football legend Rai for backing him Monday at the Ballon d'Or awards.
Karim Benzema said he had become more ambitious with age as the Real Madrid and France striker won the Ballon d'Or on Monday, and dedicated his trophy "to the people".
Champions League winners Real Madrid outclassed Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 on Wednesday to clinch the UEFA Super Cup for a record-equalling fifth time and kick off their season with a trophy.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has heaped praise on Lionel Messi for his sensational performance against Estonia in a friendly on Sunday.
Real Madrid's France star Karim Benzema deserves to win the Ballon d'Or, according to seven-time laureate Lionel Messi.
Competition for the world’s biggest individual football award opens up.
Cristiano Ronaldo reveals that he does not harbor anymore dreams football wise as he has won so many beautiful things.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar headline an impressive 30-man shortlist unveiled on Monday for the 2017 Ballon d'Or world footballer of the year award.
Ronaldo will be looking to forget his early season struggles as Real Madrid aim to lay down a marker in their quest for a third consecutive Champions League at Borussia Dortmund.
