At the Theatre du Chatelet, the backstage corridors are almost excessively dark, yet they possess a certain quaint shabbiness where actors dash between performances and opera singers take brief respites on substantial studio cases.
Navigating this narrow passage feels tight, a squeeze, with dozens of people surrounding the world's most prominent footballer. Rodri is surrounded by a throng ensuring his safe exit onto the nearly deserted red carpet and the warm Parisian streets, marking the end of a night that forever altered his life.
Soft blue spotlights fight against the encroaching darkness, and the 19th-century, four-tiered theatre by the Seine serves as a fitting backdrop for Rodri's rise to legendary status. It stands in reverence to tradition while adapting to a changing world, admired yet resolute in its nonconformity.
Rodri is poised to leave. Earlier, he was momentarily stunned when George Weah announced his name from an envelope. After a deep sigh, he delivered his acceptance speech in Spanish, having spent the night endlessly discussing himself—a task that, despite the personal pride this achievement brings, is not one he relishes.
As midnight approaches, the glittering Ballon d’Or trophy is conspicuously absent; likely someone in the chaos is safeguarding it. "I'm genuinely afraid to check my phone," Rodri confides to Mail Sport. "I anticipate spending a month responding to everyone."
His wish is to retreat to the bus with his girlfriend Laura, on their eighth anniversary, and his family, to enjoy a peaceful rendition of "Rodri's on fire." He soon finds more of that at the Siena restaurant with loved ones and City staff, just as his first club, Villarreal, illuminates Estadi de la Ceramica to honor his triumph.
Messages pour in, notably from a few neighbors. Ilkay Gundogan pens a heartfelt social media post, praising Rodri as the quintessential midfielder and celebrating an award that doesn't always go to a forward.
Rodri becomes the first defensive midfielder to claim the title, while Gundogan's wife, Sara, commends a "really good person, humble and kind" who is deserving of the top honor. It's hard not to speculate that her comments might be influenced by Real Madrid's boycott, suspected to be due to their concern that Vinicius Junior might place second to a player who went 74 consecutive Manchester City matches without defeat.
These are the two intriguing talking points of the night: Real's contentious boycott, which drew criticism from Spain's head coach Luis de la Fuente and left Vincent Garcia, head of organizers France Football, "unpleasantly surprised," and why a No 6 has captivated voters worldwide.
Rodri credits the goals he's added to his game over the years as immensely helpful, yet he remains a man who plays with his shirt neatly tucked in and abstains from social media. He doesn't追求 trends, endures relentless teasing from teammates about his style, and generally stands out against the extravagance of the Ballon d’Or night. He's the man who once drove a second-hand Corsa while shining in La Liga, later upgrading to an Audi at City—a move that likely chafed at him. If this award isn't typical for him, he's also not the epitome of what it represents.
