When Rodri has something to say, he prefers to do it on the pitch. Off it, the Manchester City star and current Ballon d’Or winner isn’t particularly outspoken—not because he lacks the words, but because he’s not one to seek the spotlight. Even during games, his contributions often go unnoticed, operating from the shadows while leaving the glory to others.It’s precisely this humility that earned him the title of the world’s best player. Yet Rodri insists the accolade won’t change him. At 28, he is mature and grounded. Speaking to Pablo Matos on the show El Hormiguero on radio station COPE, he revealed how he noticed Alvaro Morata struggling with public scrutiny during the European Championship.”I realized during the Euros that he wasn’t doing well. He’s a friend, and I could tell something was wrong. The mind doesn’t understand concepts like money or fame. We’re simply not prepared for certain situations—like losing games or dealing with assumptions. That’s why Morata’s openness, as the captain of the national team, is exemplary to me,” said Rodri, referencing Morata’s public admission about leaving Spain for Italy due to the pressure from fans.¿Quién es el mejor futbolista de todos los tiempos? Contesta Rodri, actual Balón de Oro. pic.twitter.com/t4Q3NNMXq9— Pablo Giralt (@giraltpablo) November 20, 2024 Rodri himself plays in England under Pep Guardiola, a vastly different coach from Spain manager Luis de la Fuente.”De la Fuente doesn’t talk as much as Guardiola, but when he does, he says the right things. Pep, on the other hand, is much more intense,” Rodri said with a laugh.He also laughed off rumors of a feud with Vinícius Jr., who reportedly skipped the Ballon d’Or ceremony because he expected to win.”Why would I be upset? It was my moment to enjoy with my family. The last thing I’d think about is people who weren’t there,” Rodri said, adding that even he didn’t know he’d win until the very last day.”The whole Vinícius story could fill a book. It felt like a rollercoaster. At first, there was a wave of fear that he’d win when everyone was reporting it would be him. I was surprised because I knew nothing would be officially announced until the end. Still, I went to the ceremony—you don’t get invited to the Ballon d’Or every day. But I wasn’t optimistic about winning. Only on the day of the event, when I was already in Paris, did I start receiving messages and hearing comments.”Vini Jr. is African!Despite his personal achievement, Rodri is quick to credit his team for helping him reach the top, not just the current Spanish squad but also previous generations.”Spain has had historic moments in football, and it’s strange that we’ve only had one other Ballon d’Or winner. I want to pay tribute to all the great generations who didn’t win it. Honestly, I think there are better players than me who never won the Ballon d’Or.”Among those “better players” are some who played in the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. So, when asked who the greatest footballer of all time is, Rodri didn’t hesitate.”The greatest of all time is Messi, without any doubt. Cristiano matches him in many areas but lacks that innate talent. Those of us who have played against both of them can see the difference. We didn’t want Ronaldo in the penalty area because he was deadly there. But with Messi? He was dangerous anywhere on the pitch. The moment the ball reached him, I’d think, ‘Oh, this is trouble.’ The first time I played against him and tried to take the ball, he dodged me like a matador avoiding a bull. You could feel something bad was about to happen.”##NAJAVA_MECA_8511993##
