Manchester City's Rodri and Barcelona's Aitana Bonmatí were awarded the 2024 Ballon d'Or for the best male and female football players, respectively. Rodri's win was marked by his instrumental role in Manchester City's Premier League victory and Spain's European Championship triumph. Real Madrid's absence from the ceremony highlighted their protest against Vinícius Júnior not winning the award, despite his impressive season. Bonmatí retained her title after leading Barcelona to multiple victories, including the Champions League. Rodri expressed gratitude and highlighted his journey and the influence of legendary players. This year's ceremony also saw Barcelona's Lamine Yamal receiving the Kopa Trophy, while Real Madrid's boycott emphasized their dissatisfaction with the award's outcome.