The Manchester City and Spain midfielder has been honoured with the prestigious individual prize for the time following a season in which he only lost one match in winning the Premier League for City and Euro 2024 at international level.

Rodri is the first Spanish player to win the men's award since 1960 and is the first Premier League player to take home the prize since Cristiano Ronaldo did so while playing for Manchester United.

He said: "A very special day for me, my family and my country.

"Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, for so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi [Hernandez], Iker [Casillas], Sergio Busquets, so many others. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder."

Rodri added: "Today many friends have written to me and have told me that football has won, for giving visibility to so many midfielders who have a job in the shadows and today it is coming to light.

"I'm a regular guy with values, who studies, who tries to do things right and doesn't try to follow the stereotypes, and even so I have been able to get to the top and it is thanks to all of you."

Real Madrid stars Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham finished in second and third place although no representatives from the La Liga club were at the Paris ceremony on Monday (28.10.24) after learning that the Brazilian had missed out on the trophy.

Other winners at the ceremony included Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati, who won the women's prize for the second year in a row.

She said after receiving her award: "Thank you so much for your applause. I'm so grateful to be here to receive this award for the second time.

"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."