News
Ballon d’Or fallout: How Rodri’s win can impact Real Madrid's season
by Astorre Cerebrone
9 Nov 2024
One thing Madrid-born Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, also known as Rodri, probably never envisaged while growing up was him being the spark for a civil war there.
Having left there in 2019 to go to Manchester, it was even more unlikely. Yet, he just may have laid the foundation for one without even trying to.
His Ballon d’Or win looks to have inevitably sparked reactions that could lead to a domino effect at the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid.
Ballon d’Or drama
When it emerged a few hours to the ceremony that the Ballon dOr winner would not be Vini Jr, despite reports over the previous weeks all but crowning him, online sports betting odds in his favour and the player himself believing he had won it.
No one saw Real Madrid’s reaction to it coming either; from an official statement to a complete boycott of the ceremony citing disrespect, to their players and ex-players going on social media rants about football politics, the drama was fascinating to behold.
Vini himself tweeted about being motivated to go ten times harder just minutes after the winner was officially revealed, indicating just how seriously he was taking the snub.
What wasn’t immediately obvious to many people is that the Real Madrid institution finally picked a side, Vini’s side.
All along, since it became clear that Kylian Mbappe was headed to the club, the club refused to be drawn into the big conversation about who the leader of the pack would be between him, Vini and Bellingham. Mbappe arrived in Madrid came in with widespread acclaim as the best player in the world.
Before the Frenchman’s arrival, Vini had staked his claim for being the best winger and player in the world. Jude Bellingham, on his part, was the Ballon d’Or frontrunner for about 70% of the season and had enjoyed a dream year that shot him to the front as the face of the institution.
When a team has three players who each have a legitimate claim to being the best in the world, establishing a clear pecking order becomes nearly impossible. Without that hierarchy, issues are inevitable.
New Galacticos
Having Galacticos is not new in Madrid, but they have never had to publicly back one over others so clearly. They didn’t when they signed Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario and Beckham in successive seasons.
They were never forced to when they had Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, even though Bale was the Perez signing. The Welshman was never really in the running for the Ballon d’Or and never seemed ambitious enough to relentlessly chase that individual accolade.
Besides, his brand was dwarfed by the man he met there, who was already the number 1 option on the team and who had already won a Ballon d’Or.
Furthermore, both players were in completely different conversations with respect to legacy. Ronaldo was in GOAT (Greatest of all time) conversations, going head-to-head with Messi, while Bale was not anywhere near it and didn’t seem to have the potential to-be.
In recent years, there have been concerns about basketball-type talking points seeping into football conversations, especially as the game continues to tend towards data. While that is true to some extent, it is somewhat inevitable and has always been a part of the sport.
Just as in basketball, where legacies have a far better chance of skyrocketing for the number 1 option, football also has less respect for the number 2 option.
It is the chief reason given for Neymar’s departure from Barcelona, where he was always going to be a number 2 option to the colossus that was Lionel Messi. Players who believe they belong in all-timer conversations will never want to settle for being the number 2 option.
The bad news for Real Madrid is that they have assembled three players who see themselves this way. Maybe even four, if Rodrygo’s reported tantrums continue.
The Madrid Gaffe
No one really expected Real Madrid to pick a side now, but with the way the Ballon d’Or drama unfolded, they just might have been forced into a misstep that could prove costly. The player who is likely to be most aggrieved is Bellingham.
This is because it was he, not Vini, who was the frontrunner all along. Vini merely usurped him in the semi final and final of the UEFA Champions League.
Even then, he went on to have a significantly better summer tournament with his country than Vini, who had only one good game and got himself suspended for the knockout game that eliminated his country. Many have been left baffled that the Madrid institution subtly put their weight behind Vini’s campaign, in spite of the summer tournament performances.
It was always going to be a losing strategy, because of Vini’s poor Copa performance. Perhaps, Bellingham would have stood a better chance, and not even the supposedly leaked results being reported in Madrid media about Vini being the certain winner swayed things his way.
It was one thing for the Real Madrid players to come out on social media in support of their teammate, Vini, whom they believed had been robbed of the award. It was another thing entirely for the Real Madrid institution to boycott the award ceremony altogether on Vini’s account, even going on to offer an alternative winner in Rodri’s national teammate, Dani Carvajal, rather than Jude Bellingham.
As if that was not enough, the manager, Carlo Ancelotti posted an acceptance of the award he won for Best Coach, mentioning Vini and Carvajal in the process. The omission of Bellingham’s name was telling, and one imagines that the player would surely not have received that well.
In everything, Bellingham was completely neglected, despite being Real Madrid’s best player last season and despite having a stronger case than Vini for the award based on the criteria.
Furthermore, Kylian Mbappe won an award but was not present to receive it because of the club’s boycott. Carlo Ancelotti himself couldn’t also receive his award and Andriy Lunin did not get a chance to be present despite being nominated for the Yachine Trophy and finishing third.
Bellingham, who finished 3rd in voting, was denied the prestige of sitting amongst the podium finishers, a big deal for players and fans alike.
In doing what they did, the club threw its weight fully behind one player, while denying others within the institution their moments in the sun. They effectively picked a side.
Since the season started, the big three have been selling an image to the public about everything going well and talk of potential ego clashes being an illusion.
Nobody was really buying what they were selling, although everyone decided to play along and just let things unfold naturally.
There were cracks here and there that were papered over by cheerful training videos and fleeting selfless moments on the pitch.
But even the most glass-half-full people could see that it was all a show, because on the same pitches, the cracks were also visible.
The Real Problem
The real problem has its foundation in the advent of footballers becoming fixated on the Ballon d’Or award, a trend that began with the Messi-Ronaldo era of accolade-counting and GOAT debating. Nowadays, when players answer questions regarding their Ballon d’Or ambitions, they don’t even pretend to care about the team.
They directly talk about wanting the award, not caring about how their statements are received. It is clear that Vini, Mbappe and Bellingham all want to win the Ballon d’Or, as soon as possible too.
What is even more interesting is that none of the three is likely to view the other as superior or revere the other enough to take the backseat.
All three want the award and would like it as soon as possible. That has already led to individualism and selfishness at different points, with dressing room harmony just one incident away from collapse.
Even more problematic is the fact that Vini is the only one of the three playing in his natural position so far. Mbappe has been forced to play as a 9, while Bellingham has played everywhere but the position where he excelled last season, doing more defensive work than a Galactico typically would.
Impact on the Dressing Room
Barcelona may have poured petrol but Rodri’s win and the aftermath certainly lit the fire in the dressing room. One can only imagine what was going through the minds of the other two as the drama unfolded and Madrid acted so publicly for Vini.
Of course, no one seriously expected either player to publicly join in calling out France Football for perceived injustice. Both footballers are managed by strong teams that have done incredible work to build their brands.
Both clearly understand the damage in publicly antagonising an independent brand like France Football and accusing them of favouritism and bias.
Moreover, of all people to burn such bridges for over an award, Vini simply isn’t worth that for them. On Vini’s side, the silence from the two may have been too deafening to ignore, even if he expected it.
There is a chance he feels betrayed by their silence, by them not publicly sticking out for him, even if anyone objectively looking at it can see the silliness of that.
One thing is clear; that dressing room is closer to breaking than bonding. Resentment will build, especially as results continue to be dire – their latest defeat to Milan saw all three players look lost, frustrated and toothless.
Even Vini, who usually becomes more vibrant under the bright UCL lights, faded. Bellingham once again cut a frustrated figure, showing his frustration after getting subbed off.
On the sidelines is Rodrygo who has been throwing his little tantrums all season due to being excluded from the ‘big 3’ by media and fans. He could be the catalyst for the damaged dressing room, and Carlo’s handling of Endrick and Guler so far will probably add even further fire.
Season Predictions
Two straight defeats – both at home – 7 goals conceded, 1 goal scored from the penalty spot and a dressing room starting to break. That is Real Madrid’s current situation, with more tough games on the horizon.
They have already lost 2 of their 4 CL games and have 4 games left to correct it. How will recent events impact the rest of their season? Will Don Carlo even survive the season? Will Zidane return once again?
The odds of them emerging La Liga winners continue to get worse with every passing week. But if there is one club that can surmount a big deficit in the league, it is Real Madrid.
Even though Carlo Ancelotti doesn’t have the greatest record in league football, his recent 42-game La Liga unbeaten run showed what this side is capable of.
Personally, I believe the league is as good as gone unless an unlikely collapse happens in Barcelona. As we know, there are no sure odds in football so what looks unlikely now might become reality in a few months. Who knows?
That said, the pressure on Carlo is mounting and it is starting to look like might not finish the season.
If that happens, then a bet on them bouncing back to win the league now would be smart. How badly will the dressing room chasm hold them back? Will a managerial change turn it around?
One thing Madrid-born Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, also known as Rodri, probably never envisaged while growing up was him being the spark for a civil war there.
Having left there in 2019 to go to Manchester, it was even more unlikely. Yet, he just may have laid the foundation for one without even trying to.
His Ballon d’Or win looks to have inevitably sparked reactions that could lead to a domino effect at the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid.
Ballon d’Or drama
When it emerged a few hours to the ceremony that the Ballon dOr winner would not be Vini Jr, despite reports over the previous weeks all but crowning him, online sports betting odds in his favour and the player himself believing he had won it.
No one saw Real Madrid’s reaction to it coming either; from an official statement to a complete boycott of the ceremony citing disrespect, to their players and ex-players going on social media rants about football politics, the drama was fascinating to behold.
Vini himself tweeted about being motivated to go ten times harder just minutes after the winner was officially revealed, indicating just how seriously he was taking the snub.
What wasn’t immediately obvious to many people is that the Real Madrid institution finally picked a side, Vini’s side.
All along, since it became clear that Kylian Mbappe was headed to the club, the club refused to be drawn into the big conversation about who the leader of the pack would be between him, Vini and Bellingham. Mbappe arrived in Madrid came in with widespread acclaim as the best player in the world.
Before the Frenchman’s arrival, Vini had staked his claim for being the best winger and player in the world. Jude Bellingham, on his part, was the Ballon d’Or frontrunner for about 70% of the season and had enjoyed a dream year that shot him to the front as the face of the institution.
When a team has three players who each have a legitimate claim to being the best in the world, establishing a clear pecking order becomes nearly impossible. Without that hierarchy, issues are inevitable.
New Galacticos
Having Galacticos is not new in Madrid, but they have never had to publicly back one over others so clearly. They didn’t when they signed Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario and Beckham in successive seasons.
They were never forced to when they had Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, even though Bale was the Perez signing. The Welshman was never really in the running for the Ballon d’Or and never seemed ambitious enough to relentlessly chase that individual accolade.
Besides, his brand was dwarfed by the man he met there, who was already the number 1 option on the team and who had already won a Ballon d’Or.
Furthermore, both players were in completely different conversations with respect to legacy. Ronaldo was in GOAT (Greatest of all time) conversations, going head-to-head with Messi, while Bale was not anywhere near it and didn’t seem to have the potential to-be.
In recent years, there have been concerns about basketball-type talking points seeping into football conversations, especially as the game continues to tend towards data. While that is true to some extent, it is somewhat inevitable and has always been a part of the sport.
Just as in basketball, where legacies have a far better chance of skyrocketing for the number 1 option, football also has less respect for the number 2 option.
It is the chief reason given for Neymar’s departure from Barcelona, where he was always going to be a number 2 option to the colossus that was Lionel Messi. Players who believe they belong in all-timer conversations will never want to settle for being the number 2 option.
The bad news for Real Madrid is that they have assembled three players who see themselves this way. Maybe even four, if Rodrygo’s reported tantrums continue.
The Madrid Gaffe
No one really expected Real Madrid to pick a side now, but with the way the Ballon d’Or drama unfolded, they just might have been forced into a misstep that could prove costly. The player who is likely to be most aggrieved is Bellingham.
This is because it was he, not Vini, who was the frontrunner all along. Vini merely usurped him in the semi final and final of the UEFA Champions League.
Even then, he went on to have a significantly better summer tournament with his country than Vini, who had only one good game and got himself suspended for the knockout game that eliminated his country. Many have been left baffled that the Madrid institution subtly put their weight behind Vini’s campaign, in spite of the summer tournament performances.
It was always going to be a losing strategy, because of Vini’s poor Copa performance. Perhaps, Bellingham would have stood a better chance, and not even the supposedly leaked results being reported in Madrid media about Vini being the certain winner swayed things his way.
It was one thing for the Real Madrid players to come out on social media in support of their teammate, Vini, whom they believed had been robbed of the award. It was another thing entirely for the Real Madrid institution to boycott the award ceremony altogether on Vini’s account, even going on to offer an alternative winner in Rodri’s national teammate, Dani Carvajal, rather than Jude Bellingham.
As if that was not enough, the manager, Carlo Ancelotti posted an acceptance of the award he won for Best Coach, mentioning Vini and Carvajal in the process. The omission of Bellingham’s name was telling, and one imagines that the player would surely not have received that well.
In everything, Bellingham was completely neglected, despite being Real Madrid’s best player last season and despite having a stronger case than Vini for the award based on the criteria.
Furthermore, Kylian Mbappe won an award but was not present to receive it because of the club’s boycott. Carlo Ancelotti himself couldn’t also receive his award and Andriy Lunin did not get a chance to be present despite being nominated for the Yachine Trophy and finishing third.
Bellingham, who finished 3rd in voting, was denied the prestige of sitting amongst the podium finishers, a big deal for players and fans alike.
In doing what they did, the club threw its weight fully behind one player, while denying others within the institution their moments in the sun. They effectively picked a side.
Since the season started, the big three have been selling an image to the public about everything going well and talk of potential ego clashes being an illusion.
Nobody was really buying what they were selling, although everyone decided to play along and just let things unfold naturally.
There were cracks here and there that were papered over by cheerful training videos and fleeting selfless moments on the pitch.
But even the most glass-half-full people could see that it was all a show, because on the same pitches, the cracks were also visible.
The Real Problem
The real problem has its foundation in the advent of footballers becoming fixated on the Ballon d’Or award, a trend that began with the Messi-Ronaldo era of accolade-counting and GOAT debating. Nowadays, when players answer questions regarding their Ballon d’Or ambitions, they don’t even pretend to care about the team.
They directly talk about wanting the award, not caring about how their statements are received. It is clear that Vini, Mbappe and Bellingham all want to win the Ballon d’Or, as soon as possible too.
What is even more interesting is that none of the three is likely to view the other as superior or revere the other enough to take the backseat.
All three want the award and would like it as soon as possible. That has already led to individualism and selfishness at different points, with dressing room harmony just one incident away from collapse.
Even more problematic is the fact that Vini is the only one of the three playing in his natural position so far. Mbappe has been forced to play as a 9, while Bellingham has played everywhere but the position where he excelled last season, doing more defensive work than a Galactico typically would.
Impact on the Dressing Room
Barcelona may have poured petrol but Rodri’s win and the aftermath certainly lit the fire in the dressing room. One can only imagine what was going through the minds of the other two as the drama unfolded and Madrid acted so publicly for Vini.
Of course, no one seriously expected either player to publicly join in calling out France Football for perceived injustice. Both footballers are managed by strong teams that have done incredible work to build their brands.
Both clearly understand the damage in publicly antagonising an independent brand like France Football and accusing them of favouritism and bias.
Moreover, of all people to burn such bridges for over an award, Vini simply isn’t worth that for them. On Vini’s side, the silence from the two may have been too deafening to ignore, even if he expected it.
There is a chance he feels betrayed by their silence, by them not publicly sticking out for him, even if anyone objectively looking at it can see the silliness of that.
One thing is clear; that dressing room is closer to breaking than bonding. Resentment will build, especially as results continue to be dire – their latest defeat to Milan saw all three players look lost, frustrated and toothless.
Even Vini, who usually becomes more vibrant under the bright UCL lights, faded. Bellingham once again cut a frustrated figure, showing his frustration after getting subbed off.
On the sidelines is Rodrygo who has been throwing his little tantrums all season due to being excluded from the ‘big 3’ by media and fans. He could be the catalyst for the damaged dressing room, and Carlo’s handling of Endrick and Guler so far will probably add even further fire.
Season Predictions
Two straight defeats – both at home – 7 goals conceded, 1 goal scored from the penalty spot and a dressing room starting to break. That is Real Madrid’s current situation, with more tough games on the horizon.
They have already lost 2 of their 4 CL games and have 4 games left to correct it. How will recent events impact the rest of their season? Will Don Carlo even survive the season? Will Zidane return once again?
The odds of them emerging La Liga winners continue to get worse with every passing week. But if there is one club that can surmount a big deficit in the league, it is Real Madrid.
Even though Carlo Ancelotti doesn’t have the greatest record in league football, his recent 42-game La Liga unbeaten run showed what this side is capable of.
Personally, I believe the league is as good as gone unless an unlikely collapse happens in Barcelona. As we know, there are no sure odds in football so what looks unlikely now might become reality in a few months. Who knows?
That said, the pressure on Carlo is mounting and it is starting to look like might not finish the season.
If that happens, then a bet on them bouncing back to win the league now would be smart. How badly will the dressing room chasm hold them back? Will a managerial change turn it around?
● Bet on Real Madrid to win La Liga
@2.35
● Bet on Barcelona to win La Liga
@1.61
Things are even more interesting in the Champions League where they are closer to 24th than 8th, even though many were tipping them to win the League Stage when the UCL Draw was made.
This, however, is the tournament where Carlo thrives once the knockouts begin, even when Real Madrid are performing woefully. They always seem to find a way. Some call it UCL heritage, with history driving them forward.
Will we see another Real Madrid remontada? Will they make the top 8? Will they come back to win the entire thing? For me, no. I think that magic they produce on CL nights isn’t going to bail them out this time. I fully expect them to suffer a humiliating exit and get knocked out of the competition.
Things are even more interesting in the Champions League where they are closer to 24th than 8th, even though many were tipping them to win the League Stage when the UCL Draw was made.
This, however, is the tournament where Carlo thrives once the knockouts begin, even when Real Madrid are performing woefully. They always seem to find a way. Some call it UCL heritage, with history driving them forward.
Will we see another Real Madrid remontada? Will they make the top 8? Will they come back to win the entire thing? For me, no. I think that magic they produce on CL nights isn’t going to bail them out this time. I fully expect them to suffer a humiliating exit and get knocked out of the competition.
● Bet on Real Madrid to make the UCL top 8
@3.00
● Bet on Real Madrid to win the UCL
@5.50
● Bet on Real Madrid to win the League stage
@100
Onto my free betting tips, I believe at least two of these three things could happen in Madrid this season:
- Carlo Ancelotti will not finish the seasons as Real Madrid manager
- Real Madrid will not make the semi finals of the UEFA Champions League
- Real Madrid will not finish higher than 3rd in La Liga
Keep your eyes glued to BetKing, the best betting site in Nigeria with the best betting app and the best odds, so that you can book a bet on any of the above options as events unfold!
If you don’t already have an account, Sign Up now! For anyone experienced in football betting, Madrid is always a great place to look.
You can make a fortune from their drama, disastrous runs and their ability to turn things around!
Onto my free betting tips, I believe at least two of these three things could happen in Madrid this season:
- Carlo Ancelotti will not finish the seasons as Real Madrid manager
- Real Madrid will not make the semi finals of the UEFA Champions League
- Real Madrid will not finish higher than 3rd in La Liga
Keep your eyes glued to BetKing, the best betting site in Nigeria with the best betting app and the best odds, so that you can book a bet on any of the above options as events unfold!
If you don’t already have an account, Sign Up now! For anyone experienced in football betting, Madrid is always a great place to look.
You can make a fortune from their drama, disastrous runs and their ability to turn things around!