Sports
Rodri Outshines Vinicius Jr. To Win 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or
Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri has been awarded the men’s Ballon d’Or, capping a standout season where he was pivotal in securing Manchester City’s fourth consecutive Premier League title and led Spain to victory at Euro 2024.
However, the award ceremony in Paris was marked by Real Madrid’s absence as the Spanish club staged a boycott over Vinicius Junior’s exclusion from the top prize.
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Rodri’s win, announced during the glamorous ceremony at the Châtelet Theatre on Monday night, was unexpected to many, as Real Madrid’s Vinicius had been widely seen as a favorite following a stellar season that saw Madrid claim both La Liga and Champions League titles.
Accepting the award, Rodri expressed gratitude toward his teammates and coaches, saying, “It’s an honor to be here, and I owe so much to my club and country. Football is a team effort, and I’m here because of the dedication of everyone around me.”
The evening also saw Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati win her second consecutive women’s Ballon d’Or, following a season in which she led Barcelona to a historic quadruple and helped Spain secure the Nations League title.
Hours before the ceremony, the club released a statement confirming it would not attend, citing “disrespect” toward Vinicius.
Madrid suggested that if the award did not go to Vinicius, it should have been awarded to Dani Carvajal, who scored a crucial goal in Madrid’s Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund.
“If the award criteria don’t favor Vinicius, then they should favor Carvajal,” the club stated to AFP. “Since that is not the case, it’s clear the Ballon d’Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid will not attend an event where it is not respected.”
Organizers from the Amaury group, which oversees the Ballon d’Or through L’Équipe and France Football, dismissed rumors of a leaked result, emphasizing that “no player or club” was informed in advance.
An international jury of 100 journalists ultimately selected Rodri from a competitive shortlist, but the decision stirred controversy among fans and insiders alike.
While Real Madrid’s star-studded list of nominees, including Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger, Fede Valverde, and Jude Bellingham, highlighted the club’s achievements, the exclusion of Vinicius left a contentious note on the night’s celebrations.
Sports
Belgium Appoints Rudi Garcia As National Team Coach
The Belgian Football Federation has named Frenchman Rudi Garcia as the new head coach of the national team, following the sacking of Domenico Tedesco after a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign.
In a statement released on Friday, the federation confirmed the appointment of the Underworld former Napoli, Lyon, and Roma manager, who will be formally introduced to the press later in the day.
READ MORE: Nuri Sahin Fired As Borussia Dortmund Head Coach
Garcia’s task will be to rejuvenate the Red Devils after their early exit from the European Championship and underwhelming performances in the Nations League.
Belgium recently parted ways with Tedesco, who had been in charge since February 2023.
The Italian-German coach was brought in to rebuild the squad following the departure of the country’s celebrated “golden generation” under Roberto Martinez but failed to deliver the expected results.
The team now faces a critical relegation play-off against Ukraine in March, before beginning their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a trip to North Macedonia in June.
Garcia brings a wealth of experience, having coached top European clubs such as Marseille and Lyon.
He also made his mark at Lille between 2008 and 2013, leading the French side to a Ligue 1 and Coupe de France double in 2011.
However, his most recent role at Napoli in 2023 ended in disappointment after just five months.
Sports
Nuri Sahin Fired As Borussia Dortmund Head Coach
Borussia Dortmund have sacked head coach Nuri Sahin after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Bologna in Tuesday’s Champions League match, marking the club’s fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions.
The decision follows a string of poor performances that have left the club in 10th place in the Bundesliga, 20 points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich.
Sporting CEO Lars Ricken expressed that the club had “lost faith” in Sahin, explaining that the decision was painful but necessary.
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“We have unfortunately lost faith that we will achieve our sporting goals,” Ricken said. “We value Nuri Sahin and his work very much, we hoped for a long collaboration, but after the game in Bologna, this was unavoidable.”
Sahin, who had been promoted to head coach in the summer following his role as assistant to Edin Terzic during Dortmund’s surprise Champions League final run last season, acknowledged the disappointment.
“Unfortunately, I was not able to live up to Dortmund’s sporting ambitions at this point in time. I wish this special club all the best.”
The defeat against Bologna caps a difficult season for the club under Sahin’s stewardship.
Despite their strong showing in last season’s Champions League, where they lost to Real Madrid in the final, Dortmund have struggled in the Bundesliga and were eliminated from the German Cup by Wolfsburg.
Their away form, in particular, has been disastrous, with only four wins and nine losses in 15 matches away from the Westfalenstadion.
Dortmund’s leadership, which has historically favored former players in managerial roles, now faces the task of finding a suitable replacement for Sahin.
German media reports suggest potential successors could include Erik Ten Hag, the former Manchester United boss who has been spotted attending Dortmund games recently, or Roger Schmidt, formerly of Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen.
In the interim, U19 coach Mike Tullberg has been appointed to take charge of the first team, starting with Saturday’s home match against Werder Bremen.
The sacking of Sahin is the latest chapter in a turbulent managerial history for Dortmund since the departure of Jurgen Klopp in 2015, with the club having cycled through eight different head coaches in that time. Only Lucien Favre managed to stay longer than two years.
Sahin’s tenure as manager was a significant moment for Dortmund, as he was one of the club’s own, having come through the ranks and played over 270 games for the team, including being part of the squad that won the 2011 Bundesliga title.
However, his time at the helm of the senior team has proven to be short-lived as Dortmund now seek a new direction.
Sports
Man City Sign Brazilian Teenager, Vitor Reis For £29.6M
Manchester City have completed the signing of 19-year-old defender Vitor Reis from Brazilian club Palmeiras, the Premier League champions announced on Tuesday.
The Brazilian youth international joins on a four-and-a-half-year deal for a reported fee of £29.6 million ($36.2 million).
Reis, a right-footed centre-back, expressed his enthusiasm about joining the English giants. “I’m excited to join Manchester City, one of the biggest clubs in the world,” said Reis.
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“Everyone has seen the amazing achievements in recent seasons, and I want to make my mark as we seek more trophies. Working with Pep Guardiola is something every young player wants to do, and I know he can help me to develop into the best player I can be.”
City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, highlighted the qualities that attracted the club to Reis.
He said, “Vitor Reis is one of the most promising young defenders in the world, and we’re delighted to have been able to bring him here. He is excellent on the ball and outstanding in the air — he has all the attributes needed to be one of the best.”
The signing of Reis is City’s second addition of the January transfer window, following the arrival of Uzbekistan international Abdukodir Khusanov.
Reports indicate that the club is also pursuing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush before the window closes.
Manchester City, currently fifth in the Premier League table, have faced challenges this season due to a series of defensive injuries.
However, the team showcased their attacking strength with a dominant 6-0 victory over Ipswich on Sunday.