Rodri Hernandez Comments on Vinicius Junior’s Ballon d’Or Banner at Etihad
Manchester City’s Rodri responds to the tifo mocking Vinicius Junior’s Ballon d’Or snub during Champions League clash.
Football thrives on rivalries, and Manchester City’s recent encounters with Real Madrid have certainly fueled intense emotions. Ahead of their Champions League matchup, City raised tensions further with a provocative tifo at the Etihad Stadium.
The massive banner featured Rodri kissing the Ballon d’Or trophy, accompanied by the phrase ‘stop crying your heart out’ — a reference to the Oasis song ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’. This was a playful jab at Real Madrid’s reaction to Vinicius Junior’s absence from the Ballon d’Or nominees. Real Madrid chose to boycott the prestigious event, claiming, as coach Carlo Ancelotti put it, that they believed Vinicius deserved the award.
During the match, the Etihad crowd continued the banter by chanting “where’s your Ballon d’Or?” at Vinicius. In response, the Brazilian star pointed to the 15 Champions League badges on his shoulder, symbolizing his club’s European dominance. After the game, Vinicius admitted that the banner had added extra motivation for him.
Rodri was later asked about the banner by El Chiringuito. His response? “Very good.”
Although Rodri has previously stated that he wasn’t bothered by Real Madrid’s boycott of the gala, he expressed surprise at the intense reactions in Spain, where many seem to prioritize club loyalty over national pride.
Vinicius would go on to win the ‘The Best’ award a month later, declaring himself the world’s best player. The controversy surrounding the Ballon d’Or snub led to widespread criticism of Real Madrid’s behavior, raising the question of whether they’ll attend future award ceremonies.
