Pep Guardiola comments on Rodri's "Golden Ball success ball", reflecting on Spanish football's influence on the game and how the nation may not have received enough recognition for it, Topsport reported.
The City manager said Xavi and Iniesta failed to win the award because of Lionel Messi, with only the "monster" Ronaldo was able to beat the Argentine, who, according to Pep, is the "father of the monster".
"I think Spanish football in the last decade has done incredible things, with different national coaches, players, winning the World Cup, the European Championship and never, never winning this prize,'' Guardiola said.
"Rhodri represents perfectly, of course, City because we are so proud, but Spanish football - their influence in world football in the last 10, 15 years."
"Not just winning trophies, the way they play, the generations of managers, the generations of players. I remember three players from the Barcelona Academy - La Masia, all three were nominated to win the Ballon d'Or, and Xavi and Iniesta couldn't win it because there was a monster there. Messi, no one could beat him. Only Cristiano Ronaldo. Cristiano was a monster and the monster's father is Lionel Messi. "Both have done incredible things in the last 15-20 years," Guardiola said.
"And maybe at that moment Xavi and Iniesta also deserved the "Golden Ball". So I think yesterday Rodri got what Spanish football deserved on a global scale," concluded Pep.