Rodri Drops Madrid Bombshell: Ballon d'Or Ace Won't Shut Door on Bernabéu Switch
Manchester City's Ballon d'Or winner Rodri has hinted at a possible move to Real Madrid, dismissing his Atlético past as no barrier despite his contract running until 2027. The Spaniard expressed interest in returning to La Liga amid Madrid's midfield needs. We rank the six previous Ballon d'Or winners who joined the Bernabéu, with Cristiano Ronaldo topping the pre-move form list.
Rodri's Cheeky Nod to Real Madrid – Is a Mega Move on the Cards?
Imagine sinking a pint with your mates when the chat turns to the Premier League's midfield maestro eyeing up La Liga's biggest prize. That's the vibe from Rodri, Manchester City's 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, who's just poured cold water on any Atlético Madrid baggage blocking a dream switch to Real Madrid. As reported by Alex Kirkland at ESPN Spain, the Spaniard – fresh off a brutal cruciate ligament layoff – refused to bin the idea during a candid Onda Cero radio spot.
Rodri's no stranger to Madrid drama. He honed his skills in Atlético's youth setup for six years before Villarreal scooped him up, then he bossed it back at the Metropolitano in 2018-19. Pep Guardiola couldn't resist, shelling out his release clause to haul him to the Etihad. Now, with just over a year left on his City deal (expiring June 2027), he's hinting at a La Liga homecoming. "I'd like to return, obviously," he admitted, adding that chats with City are looming.
Real Madrid's midfield? It's got a Rodri-sized hole, as Kirkland puts it. They skipped a No. 6 last summer, opting for defenders like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, and Álvaro Carreras, plus winger Franco Mastantuono. Coach Álvaro Arbeloa has blooded teen sensation Thiago Pitarch alongside Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde, and Arda Güler, but whispers of a 2026-27 midfield raid are growing louder.
Ballon d'Or Legends Who Lit Up the Bernabéu – Rodri Could Be Next
If Rodri pulls on the white shirt, he'd join an elite club: the seventh Ballon d'Or winner to rock up at the Bernabéu post-award. We've ranked the previous six on their pre-Madrid form – pure pub debate fodder here, lads.
6. Fabio Cannavaro: The only defender to nab it recently (2006), captaining Italy to World Cup glory. Solid as a rock, but his Madrid stint was when he lifted the gong.
5. Michael Owen: Blimey, 22-year-old firecracker bagged 24 goals in Liverpool's treble year (FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup). England hat-trick vs Germany? Iconic. Talent ceiling maybe not sky-high, but precocious as they come.
4. Kaká: Brazilian wizard who pipped Messi and Ronaldo in 2007 – double their points! Drove Milan to Champions League revenge over Liverpool, despite a middling Serie A finish. Last non-Messi/Ronaldo winner for a decade.
3. Ronaldo Nazário: The OG Phenomenon. Scorched PSV, Barcelona (under Bobby Robson), then Inter for his '97 gong. Pace, power, finesse – changed striker lore before Madrid doubled up on Ballons.
2. Zinedine Zidane: Technical sorcery personified. '98 World Cup heroics (two final headers vs Brazil) earned it at Juventus. Deserves No. 1 for flair alone, but longevity edges him out.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo: United's 2008 machine – 42 goals, league and Champions League double. Evolved from trickster winger to goal beast. The rest? History.
Rodri's not promising fireworks yet, but with Mbappé and Bellingham back firing (as Kirkland ponders their Real integration), imagine that engine room. City fans, brace yourselves – this rumour's got legs.
Word on the street from OneFootball and City Xtra echoes the buzz. Rodri's Atlético roots? "Loads have crossed that path," he shrugs. Best not rule out the world's elite, eh?
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