Ballon d’Or winners are no strangers to Real Madrid; president Florentino Perez has revealed who of his current stars he thinks will eventually hoist the renowned trophy, and it might cause some controversy.
Legendary players like Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Alfredo Di Stefano have all won the cup while playing for Real Madrid over the years, and Perez has predicted another nаme to do so.
Although many would want current lucky guy Jude Bellingham or perhaps Vinicius Jr. to win the title in the future, the club president has picked a different winner.
Perez was at Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Atletico Bilbao on Sunday, when the team went eight points clear at the top of La Liga thanks to a standout performance by Brazilian forward Rodrygo.
Rodrygo’s performance was so impressive that Perez told Defensa Central after the game that “he is going to win the Ballon d’Or.”
For Madrid, Rodrygo stole the show. He replaced fellow countryman Vinicius Jr., who was absent for Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
With a twenty-yard strike after just eight minutes, the 23-year-old opened the score.
Then, with seventeen minutes remaining, he completed a crаzy run to give the Spanish powerhouses the victory.
In 42 appearances this season, the forward has now netted 15 goals for the team; since moving to Spain in 2019, he has netted 52 goals overall.
In addition to joining the likes of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho who have all hoisted the golden ball, he would be the first Brazilian to win the Ballon d’Or since Kaka in 2007.
With eight games remaining, Real Madrid leads rivals Barcelona by a dominating margin at the top of La Liga.
The team, which brought Bellingham back to the lineup against Bilbao, is also in the Champions League quarterfinals and will play holders Manchester City later this month.