"I will be conscious of my Ballon d'Or when I retire"

Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernandez continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injury to his right knee sustained in the game against Arsenal on 22 September to give himself "the option of being able to get back to the level he was at before he was injured".

"My main objective is to recover well physically, to come back and to give myself the option of being able to return to the level I was at," the Spaniard told the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) media about his goals for next year.

His injury brought to a halt a season that was going brilliantly for him with the Premier League title with his club and the Euro 2024 trophy with Spain, as well as individual awards such as the Ballon d'Or and being chosen.

The Manchester City player confessed how "long and boring" the recovery process is: "It's a hard process, it's a long and boring process. Especially the first few months, when the exercises are more boring.

"Once you start walking, it becomes more enjoyable, more fun, you introduce activities such as cycling, walking, swimming... It becomes more enjoyable, but, at the beginning, it's a bit more boring..." he added.

Despite this, the reigning Ballon d'Or winner is a grateful and positive person in the face of the difficulties that come his way: "I'm a person who faces things as they come. I've always been grateful for what God has given me, for what I'm doing in my career and I know that injuries are part of the process," he claimed.

2024 has been the definitive year in which Rodri has become one of the best players in the world, adding individual and collective trophies, for which he claims to be in the best moment of his career. "On a sporting level, it has been another fantastic year, another year full of success both at club level and with Spain. The truth is that I'm in the best moment of my career and I've been working very hard for this kind of achievement," continued the Manchester City player.

"I'm euphoric and happy, but I'm not aware of what it means. I think I will be when I retire. It's something I never dreamed of, but, when you set short-term goals and you work and you are consistent, plus talent and more things, you can get to the top," Rodri concluded.

 

December 10, 2024