Speculation continues to circle around what the future might hold for Pep Guardiola, but Rodri is paying no attention to it: he's heard it since the moment he arrived at Manchester City.
The newly-anointed Ballon d'Or winner arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2019, when Guardiola was already three years into his spell at the Etihad Stadium.
Even then, Rodri says, there were rumours that the Catalan manager was not going to be sticking around in Manchester...o nly for him still to be there five years later.
Rodri didn't expect Guardiola to stick around at Manchester City
Guardiola is out of contract at Manchester City at the end of this season, and he still refuses to be drawn on any definitive statements about whether he will be staying or going at the end of the season, saying he hasn't made up his mind yet.
But Rodri is not too worried about it either way, telling Spanish outlet El Partidazo de Cope: "When I signed for Man City, people told me 'Pep will leave next year' and he’s been there for 5 years. He’s ambitious, it’s him deciding his future, but in any case, Man City will still be Man City."
Rodri is particularly confident that the club can continue to compete at the most elite of elite levels with or without Guardiola thanks to the influence of their star striker, who who spoke of in glowing terms.
He said: “The most decisive player in the world in terms of numbers is Erling Haaland. He’s the only player who could come close to Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He is also very young and will be there for many years."
The midfielder went on to dismiss any speculation that the winner of the Ballon d'Or was known ahead of time, echoing the organiser's insistence that Real Madrid could not possibly have known before deciding to forgo the ceremony that Vinicius Junior was definitely missing out.
In previous years the winner has known they have the award in the bag ahead of time so as to facilitate interviews and photo shoots, but a change the proceedings this year meant the identity of the winner was kept closely under wraps.
Rodri said: “Nobody told me that I was going to win the Ballon d’Or. You go there and until the envelope is opened. If the Real Madrid team doesn't come it must be for a reason.
"But I wasn't hurt that Vinicius wasn't there Why would I be hurt? It’s not my club. I’m not my worried about that. I focus on my people, my club, my family. Real Madrid and Vinicius had their reasons ... I’d never disrespect anyone. I respect Vinicius, Real Madrid and the other one competing for the Ballon d’Or.
"Alvaro Morata always told me 'You're stupid. If you had social media you would have a Ballon d’Or'. As soon as I won it I wrote to him: 'Look, Ballon d’Or in my hands and no social media!’.
"I think I won the Ballon d'Or because I’ve been consistent. It’s the most difficult skill in football. I think I’ve been the most regular player in the world this year, yes."
