Manchester City’s Rodri feels like a Ballon d’Or winner due to public support, despite facing strong competition from Vinicius and Jude Bellingham. His pride stems from the recognition he has received for his contributions to Manchester City’s title and Spain’s Euro 2024 win.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has expressed that he already feels like a Ballon d’Or winner, thanks to the overwhelming public support he has received since being shortlisted for the prestigious award.

Rodri, who played a crucial role in Manchester City’s fourth consecutive league title and Spain’s triumph at Euro 2024, acknowledges the significant recognition he has garnered.

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In an interview with ESPN, Rodri highlighted his respect for the competition he faces, particularly from Real Madrid stars Vinicius and Jude Bellingham.

“People say I’m going to fight with Vinicius, who is someone I admire. I think he is a great player,” Rodri remarked.

Rodri’s pride comes from the mere fact of being in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or. He believes that the support and positive comments from fans, who have expressed confidence in his potential to win, make him feel like a winner already.

“Imagine for me, to be in the conversation that the people when I walk into the street, they say to me, ‘you’re going to win the Ballon d’Or, you deserve it’. And for me, that means I am already a winner with this,” he said.

Despite the competition, Rodri remains humble and appreciative of the support. He reflects on the years of hard work, self-belief, and the assistance from others that have led him to this position.

“Once you are in this situation, this position, because a lot of years of work, a lot of trust on yourself and the help of all the people, you think about this award and being there is just unbelievable,” he added.

Cristiano Ronaldo criticises Erik ten Hag for saying Manchester United cannot compete for major titles. Ronaldo believes Ten Hag lacks understanding of the club.

Cristiano Ronaldo has voiced his disagreement with Erik ten Hag’s recent remarks about Manchester United’s ability to compete for major titles.

In a discussion on Rio Ferdinand’s Five YouTube channel, Ronaldo expressed concern that Ten Hag’s comments reflect a lack of understanding of the club’s potential.

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Ronaldo criticized Ten Hag for stating that Manchester United cannot currently compete for the Premier League or Champions League.

He believes such statements undermine the team’s ambition. “You can’t rebuild a club you don’t understand,” Ronaldo said, emphasizing that even if the team’s potential is limited, the manager should not publicly concede defeat.

Ronaldo also suggested that former team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy, now back in Manchester in a coaching role, could be instrumental in aiding United’s rebuild if Ten Hag is willing to listen.

He urged Ten Hag to consider the insights of former players like van Nistelrooy, Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, and Gary Neville.

Despite his criticisms, Ronaldo’s comments may also be influenced by his past disputes with Ten Hag, which led to his departure from Old Trafford in late 2022.

Arsenal directed to wear their away kit against Tottenham in the North London Derby due to a clash with Spurs’ colours.

Arsenal have been instructed to wear their away kit for the upcoming Premier League match against Tottenham on Sunday.

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The Premier League and PGMOL have mandated this change due to a colour clash; Arsenal’s traditional red home kit features too much white on the back, which conflicts with Tottenham’s kit.

As a result, Mikel Arteta’s squad will don their new black away kit for the North London Derby. This will be the first time in recent seasons that either team has had to change their kit colours for the fixture.

In the return match at the Emirates, Tottenham will also need to wear their away kit. Last season’s encounters were dramatic, with a 2-2 draw at the Emirates followed by a 3-2 victory for Arsenal in the reverse fixture after leading 3-0 at half time.