Nobody can emulate Rodri's unique skill set, but these replacements would help smooth over his absence in the second half of the

Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win was a historic moment for Spanish football but marred by Real Madrid’s boycott of the event and Vinicius Junior’s frosty response. While the rivalry added drama, Rodri remained unperturbed: “I care about my family and my club… I wouldn’t have done it that way.”

The accolade and crowning moment in the French capital of Paris came after Rodri won the Premier League for a fourth consecutive season with Manchester City, and the European Championships with Spain in a Player of the Tournament-winning showing over the summer.