Manchester City’s Rodri tips Paris Saint-Germain pair for 2025 Ballon d’Or

Rodri has tipped a player from Luis Enrique’s UEFA Champions League winning Paris Saint-Germain side to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

The Ballon d’Or holder has returned to fitness after suffering a fitness setback at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States in the summer, which saw Rodri miss Manchester City’s opening Premier League win over Wolves in August.

A year on from suffereing an ACL injury that kept the midfielder on the sidelines for the best part of nine months, Rodri has played in Manchester City’s recent Premier League defeats to Tottenham and Brighton.

However, having endured a difficult period with injuries in the last 12 months, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will be very cautious in managing the minutes of an indispensable piece of his side whose absence was felt drastically over the course of the previous campaign.

Rodri became the first player in Manchester City history to win the highly coveted Ballon d’Or in 2024, having spearheaded his club to a fourth successive Premier League title last year and voted the best player at 2024 European Championship after Spain’s coronation as winners.

However, the former Atletico Madrid man’s absence was dearly felt by Guardiola and co at the Etihad Stadium last term, with City enduring their most challenging season for nearly a decade and failing to challenge for the Premier League title.

City lost both legs and were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League at the Round of 16 stage by Real Madrid, with the Blues also losing the 2025 FA Cup final to Crystal Palace to round off a sub-par year on the pitch judging by their own incredible standards.

Guardiola’s men have not made a great start to this season, per se, having lost two of their opening trio of Premier League games ahead of a tricky run of games against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal after the international break.

Meanwhile, Rodri will be relishing his final fortnight as the Ballon d’Or holder before France Football announce this year’s winner of the prestigious honour at the Théâtre du Châtelet on Monday 22 September.

Speaking in a press conference prior to a 20 minute cameo for Spain in their 6-0 demolition of Andorra on Sunday, the 29-year-old has given his two cents on this year’s candidates and named his preferred winner.

“It’d be hard not to give it to someone from that (PSG) team. I’m happy for Luis Enrique,” said Rodri, paying homage to the treble-winning Paris Saint-Germain side led by former Spain manager Luis Enrique.

“I’d like to see Lamine (Yamal) or Pedri win for my affinity with them, but on sporting merit, (Ousmane) Dembele or Vitinha.”