'Hopefully Lamine Yamal or Pedri can win it' - Rodri backs Spanish Ballon d'Or bid

Manchester City midfielder Rodri expressed his hope that a "national teammate" would win the Ballon d'Or, mentioning Pedri and Lamine Yamal as two of the frontrunners.

The current holder of the trophy spoke to 'EFE' and 'AS' in the mixed zone of the Etihad Stadium after his side drew 1-1 against Arsenal.

"I'll be watching it on TV this year, but hopefully a teammate will win it, Lamine, Pedri, whoever. I'd love it, it's a celebration of football and may the best man win," said Rodri.

Lamine Yamal is the main favourite for the award along with his Barcelona teammate Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain.

Should Pedri or Lamine Yamal win, it would be the first time in history that Spain has had two consecutive Ballon d'Or winners.

"It would be amazing, it would say a lot about the current state of Spanish football. Hopefully that's how it will be and there will be many more to come, because we are in a very good moment," he concluded.