Rodri and Aitana Bonmatí were named winners of the 2024 Ballon d’Or at football’s annual awards ceremony in Paris. Their trophies were presented at the end of a bizarre day in which the Real Madrid delegation was not present.

In Rodri’s case, the award capped an exceptional year of work in which the influential Manchester City and Spain midfielder became Premier League and European champions, as well as winning the Club World Cup.

That wasn’t enough to impress Real’s expected team. Their striker, Vinícius Júnior, had been the favorite to win the award, but they canceled their travel plans when they learned earlier in the day that he had not received the award.

Rodri is out due to a long-term anterior cruciate ligament injury and therefore had to go on stage on crutches. But the 28-year-old defensive midfielder has become indispensable for City since joining from Atlético Madrid five years ago. He is the first non-striker to win the men’s award since Luka Modric in 2018. “An incredible night for me,” Rodri said after receiving the trophy from George Weah, a previous winner who had a brief spell at City in 2000. “Today is a very special day, not only for me, but also for my family and my country.”

He beat Vinícius to take first place, while the Brazilian’s Madrid teammate, Englishman Jude Bellingham, took third place. Carlo Ancelotti, the Madrid coach, won the men’s Johan Cruyff Award for best coach.

Before the ceremony, Madrid issued a statement to AFP and Spanish media saying: “If the award criteria do not indicate Vinícius as the winner, then the same criteria should indicate (Dani) Carvajal as the winner.” Since this was not the case , it is clear that Ballon d’Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid won’t go where it won’t be respected.”

Bonmatí became the second player to retain the women’s award since its inception in 2018, following in the footsteps of her Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas. The playmaker was instrumental in another Liga F and Champions League double for Barcelona and was also in charge when Spain won the Women’s Nations League earlier this year.

“What drives me to be here is the winning mentality we have as a team and as a national team. It is she who leads you to these successes,” said Bonmatí. Second-placed Caroline Graham Hansen and third-placed Salma Paralluelo completed a complete Barca podium.

The ceremony again took place during a women’s international window, limiting the number of shortlisted players and coaches who could attend. Emma Hayes, who won the Women’s Coach of the Year award, accepted it remotely two days before her U.S. national team’s game against Argentina.

Real’s apparent tantrum meant no one was present to accept the Men’s Club of the Year award. Barcelona received the women’s equivalent, with club president Joan Laporta joined on stage by a handful of players.

The Gerd Müller Award for last season’s top goalscorer was shared by Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé, but Mbappé was also not present to collect his trophy. To complete a series of awkward presentations, Ancelotti didn’t show up to collect his gong.

Rodri’s national teammate Lamine Yamal opened the evening’s celebrations by winning the Kopa trophy, awarded to the best player under the age of 21. At 17, he was the youngest player to receive this award.

Other winners included Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who won the Lev Yashin Trophy, and Spanish striker Jenni Hermoso, who won the Socrates Prize for off-field charity or humanitarian work.