No one in Rodri’s role has ever won men’s football’s most coveted individual award but the Spanish midfielder has earned the right to be considered the best player on the planet

Manchester City midfielder Rodri says winning the Ballon d'Or would be "a dream" but it is not something he thinks about. City start their Champions League campaign on Wednesday against Inter Milan, the same opponents Rodri scored the winning goal against in the 2023 final to secure the Treble.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has told ESPN it will be a "dream for me" to win the Ballon d'Or and end Spain's 64-year wait for a winner after emerging as Vinicius Junior's biggest rival for this year's award.