Rodri Ballon d'Or triumph branded a 'nod to less sexy players' as ex-USMNT star Alexi Lalas slams Real Madrid's 'weak' reaction to Vinicius Junior loss

The Manchester City and Spain star pipped the Brazilian winger to win his first-ever Ballon d'Or in Paris on Monday. Rodri's triumph over Vinicius Jr has sparked a huge debate in world football with several Selecao and Los Blancos stars claiming that the 24-year-old was robbed of the prestigious prize.

Ex-United States men's national team star Lalas has now weighed in on the subject, branding Rodri's triumph as a form of validation to the unsung heroes of the game who never get the same credit as attackers. He also hit out at Real Madrid for their act of boycotting the event as a mark of protest and called their reaction "weak".

While responding to an X (formerly Twitter) user's post, Lalas wrote: "Rodri winning is completely justifiable. Any team would want him. Ballon d’Or award is understandably dominated by attacking players who score. Goals trump all. Rodri is just a necessary momentary cleansing and nod to less sexy players. Real Madrid’s reaction was weak sauce."

Rodri is unlikely to feature in another game this season after he picked up an ACL injury during City's Premier League draw against Arsenal in September. Vinicius Jr, on the other hand, will be back in action for Real Madrid on Saturday as they take on Valencia.