Real Madrid missed out on the world’s greatest football players’ Ballon d’Or prizes, which were given to Spanish midfielders Rodri and Aitana Bonmati in a star-studded ceremony in Paris.

The 28-year-old Rodri, who was instrumental in Spain’s victory in the European Championship in July and helped Manchester City win the Premier League, received the coveted accolade for the first time on Monday.

He defeated Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior to take second place, much to the chagrin of the Spanish team, and succeeding Argentina’s eight-time champion Lionel Messi. Instead of attending the event, Madrid and their players took to social media to express their emotions.

For the first time since 2003, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have won the coveted individual honor a combined 13 times, were not considered for this year’s accolade.

With his hands covering his face, Rodri was overcome with emotion as past champion George Weah read out his name.

“It was an amazing evening for me,” Rodri, who is sidelined for the season due to an injury, said as he walked to the ceremony on crutches. “I always try to get better at every game, which is one of my main goals.”

Despite his skill, Rodri was known for being a dedicated and selfless player who was ready to shift the credit to others.

“I would like to express my gratitude once more to those who see my contribution to the game,” he stated. “I never imagined winning the Ballon d’Or when I was younger, but I’ve been playing at the highest level in the last few years.”

Despite not being as flashy or as prolific of a scorer as Messi and Ronaldo, Rodri’s ability to defend the defense and distribute passes from the back had a significant impact on City’s squad.

After assisting Barcelona in winning the Spanish league, the Spanish Cup, and the Champions League, 26-year-old Bonmati kept her award.

Since the inaugural women’s trophy was given out in 2018, Bonmati has won two titles alongside Barca partner Alexia Putellas. On the awards night, she defeated her teammates Salma Paralluelo of Spain and Caroline Graham Hansen of Norway as Barcelona finished 1-2-3.

“I’m glad to be here once more,” Bonmati remarked. “I am grateful to my teammates and the clubs that help me improve as a football player each year.”

For the second consecutive season, Bonmati scored 19 goals for Barcelona. This year, she has scored five goals in five games for Spain, bringing her total number of goals for her country to 26.