Although Rodri became just the second Spanish men’s player to lift the Ballon d’Or, the country’s premier club was barely anywhere to be seen. Despite more than one award going to the club or individuals within, nobody representing Real Madrid appeared in Paris as a dismal few days for the European champions got worse. At Manchester City, that knowledge added to the satisfaction of a worthy first ever club winner. The relationship between the clubs, especially at that media level, is poor.
It all illustrates the increasing intrigue around an award that is supposed to be so singular, in rewarding football’s dominant individual player in a calendar year. And then some.
