Ballon d'Or 2024: Rodri and Bonmati win top football awards
- Published
Imagine being the best footballer in your school, what could be better? How about being the best footballer in the world?
Well, Spanish superstars Rodri and Aitana Bonmati have kind of been named just that, by winning the men's and women's Ballon d'Or award in Paris in France.
The awards are seen as the top individual prizes in football and are voted for by 100 journalists from around the world.
Read on to find out more about this year's awards and who else picked up some prizes...
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Men's Ballon d'Or
Manchester City midfielder Rodri lost just one game last season - that's including games for his club and for Spain.
He was part of the team that beat England in the Euro 2024 final in Germany in July.
Meanwhile for City, he won the Premier League, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup.
He is the first ever player in the club's history to win the Ballon d'Or.
Women's Ballon d'Or
The women's award also went to a Spanish midfielder in Aitana Bonmati - that's the second year in a row she has won the award.
While playing for her club, Barcelona, last season the team won every trophy they could - winning a quadruple.
Bonmati certainly played a big part in that success, she scored 19 goals as the club won the four competitions.
While playing for Spain, she got four more goals as the they went on to win the Women's Nations League title.
She said: "I always say this is not something that you can do alone, I'm so lucky to be surrounded by wonderful players who help me to keep growing into a better player."
Coach awards
This year's event saw awards given out to coaches for the first time.
Emma Hayes won the award for the women's game after helping Chelsea win a fifth consecutive Women's Super League (WSL) title and guiding the team to the final of the League cup and semi-finals of the Champions League and FA Cup.
Hayes then left the club to become the head coach of the United States women's team and they beat Brazil in the final of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti won the men's coach award.
He guided the Spanish club to a 15th Champions League title and the title for Spain's top football competition - La Liga.
Club award
Real Madrid didn't just have success in the coaching category, in fact they picked up the award for best club overall.
They also had success through their superstar striker Kylian Mbappe - who shared the award for best goal scorer with England captain Harry Kane.
However, nobody from the club went to the ceremony in Paris.
There have been reports from Spain that this is because the club felt they hadn't been respected after finding out their forward Vinicius Junior wasn't going to get the men's Ballon d'Or.
Who else won at the Ballon d'Or awards 2024?
Gerd M眉ller Trohpy - Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane
Socrates Award - Jenni Jermoso
Ballon d'Or Feminin - Aitana Bonmati
Kopa Trophy - Lamine Yamal
Ballon d'Or - Rodri
Club of the year - Read Madrid
Yashin Trohpy - Emiliano Martinez
Women's Club of the Year - Barcelona
Women's Coach of the Year - Emma Hayes
Men's Coach of the Year - Carlo Ancelotti
What do you think of the winners? Who are your top footballers of 2024?
Let us know in the comments below...
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