Rodri's Ballon d'Or victory was special for various reasons. One of those is the role he plays: defensive midfielder. It is rare for players in that position to be recognized with the most prestigious individual award in football, but Rodri achieved it. And that fact didn't go unnoticed in his speech.
"Many friends have told me that football has won. I give visibility to the midfielders that have existed over the years. Today that dark work has come to light."
Another landmark of the award is that this is the second time a Spanish-born player has won the Ballon d'Or. The first one was Luis Suárez, 64 years ago. "It is a victory for Spanish football. Like so many players who did't win it. Xavi, Iniesta, Casillas, Busquets..."
Rodri, who joined the stage in crutches, also thought specifically about two teammates in the Spanish national squad. Dani Carvajal, who suffered the same injury as he did, "and also deserved to win the award" (and also plays in an undervalued position, right-back defender), and Lamine Yamal, "who I thin will win in the future".
Spain keeps bringing some of the best midfielders of the world
Those two facts aren't disconnected. Luis Suárez was also a midfielder. And so were Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta, the other two spaniards who have come closer of winning the Ballon d'Or in recent years.
In 2010, the year Iniesta scored the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup, Leo Messi won the award for the second year. Iniesta and and Xavi were second and third, and many believe that the fact that they played in the same position divided the vote.
Xavi was third in 2011 and Iniesta was third in 2012, but many points behind Messi and Cristiano. And Sergio Busquets, midfielder still active (in Inter Miami) that many consider one of the greatest midfielders of all time, never entered in the top 20 for Ballon d'Or.