Rodri and Carvajal have 'earned the right' to win Ballon d'Or, says De la Fuente

By Sports Desk September 05, 2024

Luis de la Fuente believes that both Rodri and Dani Carvajal have "earned the right" to win the Ballon d'Or after being named on this year's shortlist.

The duo are two of six Spain players on the list after they won a record-breaking fourth European Championship title with a 2-1 triumph over England in Berlin in July.

Rodri was named the Player of the Tournament for Euro 2024 after leading the team from midfield in all but one of their seven games, though he was forced off injured at half-time in the final.

At a domestic level, he did not taste defeat in any of his 34 Premier League games last season (27 wins, seven draws) as Manchester City won a historic fourth consecutive title, with the Citizens losing three of the four games he missed (one win).

Meanwhile, Carvajal also won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League with Real Madrid last season, scoring the opening goal in the latter competition’s final to help them to a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund.

In doing so, he became the first defender to score in a Champions League final since Sergio Ramos in 2015-16, also for Los Blancos.

And De la Fuente says they should both be among the leading contenders to scoop up the Ballon d'Or for their achievements.

"Both Rodri and Dani Carvajal have without doubt earned the right," De la Fuente told the Guardian.

"If after everything they have done, they're not considered, it would be a huge injustice. They've done more than enough. Not just now, but everything.

"Look at Dani: six Champions Leagues?! What on earth is that? Rodri has a Champions League, more to come, and I don't know how many leagues. They're European champions.

"Do they deserve to win it? Of course. I'm championing them, asking for it for them. They've won it all."

Lamine Yamal, who was also a key figure at just 16 years old for Spain during the Euros, is also on the shortlist for the individual award.

The youngster enjoyed a breakout tournament in Germany, becoming the youngest player to appear in a Euros or World Cup final at 17, surpassing Pele's record from 1958.

He also became the youngest player to score at the European Championships, and provided four assists, the joint-most any player has ever registered at the tournament that Opta has on record (from 1980 onwards).

De la Fuente says he knew there was something special about Yamal, which is why he was not afraid to take a chance on him.

"Faith in young players isn't an act, it's a conviction," he added. "When you see talent, play them, even if they're young.

"Lamine is very good. It's true what I said: that he's touched by God's wand.

"There are players that are different. I don't want to get into those comparisons, because I know we're going to start [that], and they're different footballers, different eras. But the talent? Pfff … there's something that sets them apart.

"The super mega cracks, football geniuses, those who [made] history, all have something. At that young age, they all seemed different, older."

Spain begin their Nations League defence on Thursday against Serbia, before facing Switzerland in League A Group 4 on Sunday. 

Related items

  • Portugal lacked 'a little bit of magic' in Scotland stalemate, says Martinez Portugal lacked 'a little bit of magic' in Scotland stalemate, says Martinez

    Portugal manager Roberto Martinez was in a defensive mood following his team's goalless draw away to Scotland in the Nations League on Tuesday night. 

    After scoring in each of the Spaniard's first 12 competitive matches in charge of Portugal, the Selecao have since drawn a blank in four of their last seven matches. 

    Portugal did have their chances, however, registering 14 shots during the contest, though only three were on target, ending the night with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.52.

    Martinez faced criticism for lacking a plan B after his side struggled to break the Scots down.

    "Our talent of our players, is plan A, B, C, D, E," he told De Sporto after the match.

    "We have players inside, outside, we are talking about a team that did not take risks, that defended very well.

    "We are talking about a team [Portugal] that reached 53 times in the last third. We have to give credit to Scotland and to us the fact that we managed to keep a clean sheet."

    It was a frustrating night for Martinez and fans alike.

    Despite Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Jota among other big hitters starting, they were unable to find a way past 41-year-old goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who made some impressive saves when they did get in on goal.

    When asked what was missing from the performance, he alluded to a lack of individual quality.

    "A decision, a little bit of magic in the area. We had a lot of desire, we worked very well without the ball," Martinez said.

    "It was a dangerous game because we could have possession of the ball, but Scotland have little need to score a goal. We showed freshness, but we lacked freshness in the last third.

    "You also have to give credit to Scotland, they had a lot of players in front of goal, their goalkeeper also made a spectacular save."

    Following the performance and result at Hampden Park, there have been further questions about Martinez's selection policy for Portugal.

    The most high-profile query of all remains whether 39-year-old Ronaldo should continue, having had a difficult night on his 200th start for his country.

    "The national team always has an open door, but now we are talking about a very, very large group of players," said Martinez.

    "It is a question of continuing to connect and synchronise what we can do. Now the game in Porto is to celebrate qualification in front of our fans."

    Scotland manager Steve Clarke, meanwhile, was much happier with the evening's result, which ended a four-game losing run for Scotland.

    "It's not about turning a corner, it's just about working hard and not letting the country down. You could see that tonight," he said.

    "The point was important for us after the work the group put in to get off the mark."

    The result also marked Scotland's first clean sheet since beating Gibraltar 2-0 seven games ago in a pre-Euro 2024 warm-up friendly.

    The performance at the back was another thing that pleased Clarke.

    "Defensively sound, the shape of the team was good," he said. 

    "We denied a lot of space in behind. Good concentration in the box, determined defending at times, some really good blocks, which you need against sides like Portugal.

    "Everyone contributed to earn the point."

    Despite taking an unexpected point, Scotland are still bottom of their Nations League group, while the draw means they are winless in 10 matches - their longest ever run.

    But Clarke feels the players will take a lot from Tuesday's match that will help them going forward.

    "Everyone keeps talking about confidence, but they know they can play well," he said. 

    "We maybe didn't play as well as we could on the ball, which could be down to fatigue. But I don't think they lack confidence. Tonight's point will give us more confidence."

  • Morata predicts bright future for 'special' Spain after Serbia triumph Morata predicts bright future for 'special' Spain after Serbia triumph

    Alvaro Morata expressed his excitement about the future of the Spanish national team after they confirmed their place in the Nations League quarter-finals on Tuesday. 

    Morata netted Spain's second goal in their 3-0 win over Serbia, having missed a penalty 11 minutes earlier, with Aymeric Laporte and Alex Baena also on target for La Roja. 

    Luis de la Fuente's side have now won 12 of their 15 matches in all competitions this year (D2 L1), equalling their most victories in a single calendar year since 2013. 

    Despite missing seven of their regular first-team players, including the likes of Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Dani Olmo, Spain made light work of Dragan Stojkovic's side in Cordoba.

    And their latest victory has captain Morata looking forward to the future, with the Milan striker confident of building on their Euro 2024 success. 

    "We are in another final stage of a major tournament and that is something to be proud of," captain Morata told Spanish public television TVE.

    "It seems easy because we are always there in the final stages but sure it isn't so we have to understand how special it is and give it the proper value it has.

    "We have several injured players, we missed them but we have to look at the positives that are young players stepping up.

    "What we have created is special, and we have to keep going forward. Spain has an incredible future."

    De la Fuente, however, was more measured in his assessment of proceedings. 

    The Spain manager watched on as his side registered 30 shots, 10 of which were on target, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.92. 

    They also restricted Serbia to just one attempt throughout, though De la Fuente insisted he still wants to see improvements from his players.

    "Blessed problem. God willing that it continues like this for a long time. When you have a lot of winning streaks you are closer to losing than winning," De la Fuente said. 

    "We are not satisfied. This team is insatiable sportingly, it wants more and more. We do it with so much joy, we already enjoy it so much that it is difficult not to be like that.

    "Let's try to see how far we go. When it is not achieved, one day it will not be achieved, because we will have to understand that this is how sport is.

    "We will begin another cycle. Whoever wants to beat us will have to do very well."

  • Scotland 0-0 Portugal: Hosts claim first Nations League point on Ronaldo's landmark outing Scotland 0-0 Portugal: Hosts claim first Nations League point on Ronaldo's landmark outing

    Scotland have their first point of their 2024-25 Nations League campaign, having held Portugal to a 0-0 draw at Hampden Park.

    The match itself was not a great spectacle with limited chances either way, as Cristiano Ronaldo's 200th start for Portugal ultimately ending in disappointment. 

    It was a performance of grit over style for Steve Clarke's side, though, who managed just three shots during the match.

    Portugal came closest to finding the net, with Craig Gordon getting down expertly to stop Bruno Fernandes slotting home from a Rafael Leao cutback in the 87th minute.

    The draw leaves Scotland bottom of Nations League Group A1, although their first point means the gap to third-placed Poland stays at three points ahead of the two meeting in the November international break.

    Portugal, meanwhile, are top of the standings on 10 points and know a point from their remaining two games will seal their progression to the quarter-finals, after maintaining their three-point buffer to second-placed Croatia following their 3-3 draw with Poland.

    Data Debrief: Scotland ruin Ronaldo's landmark appearance

    Ronaldo made his 200th start for Portugal tonight, 21 years and four days after making his first start for the Selecao against Albania in October 2003.

    After scoring in each of Roberto Martinez’s first 12 competitive matches in charge of Portugal, the Selecao have since drawn a blank in four of their last seven matches under the Spaniard.

    Portugal attempted 715 passes tonight - their highest number in this Nations League campaign, with their 14 attempts the lowest they have managed in the competition this term, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.52. 

    Scotland, meanwhile, are now winless in their last 10 competitive matches (D4 L6), their longest-ever run without a competitive victory, though they managed to keep a clean sheet against a team above them in the FIFA rankings for the first time since a 2-0 win over Spain in 2023.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.