Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has won the FIFA Best men’s player of the year award.
Across an outstanding 2023-24 season, Vini Jr won the Champions League and LaLiga under Carlo Ancelotti at Madrid, as well as the Spanish and European Super Cups.
In that time he scored 24 goals and created 11 assists for his team-mates, with particular highlights coming when he scored in the Champions League final, and put Barcelona to the sword with a hat-trick in the domestic Super Cup.
It comes after he and his fellow Los Blancos stars decided to snub the Ballon d’or ceremony in October, having learned in advance that Manchester City’s Rodri would take home the prize.
‘It was looking impossible for me to arrive here on this stage… I arrived from a small place, close to poverty and crime. Now I’m here,’ said the Brazilian star.
Rodri came second in the voting while Jude Bellingham placed third.
Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr has taken the FIFA Best men’s player of the year award
FIFA president Gianni Infantino (right) presented the star with his first award in the category
The Brazilian was instrumental in Real Madrid’s successes at home and on the continent
The FIFA Best men’s player prize rewards Vini Jr for his achievements between August 21 2023 and August 10 2024.
A panel of 11 players were nominated, with Jude Bellingham the only Englishman in that mix, and then this shortlist was voted on by national team coaches and captains, football journalists, and fans.
This was Vini Jr’s first prize, with Lionel Messi having won the two instalments before him. The Argentinian wasn’t even nominated this time around.
It has been running in its current form since 2016, though it was previously known as the FIFA World Player of the Year. It is not always the case that a player will win both due to the different timespans they cover.
Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti was voted as coach of the year, Emiliano Martinez won best goalkeeper, and Alejandro Garnacho was handed the Puskas Award for goal of the year after his stunning overhead kick against Everton.
‘It was a great goal, of course. But there is a lot more to come, and a lot more to look forward to. Thank you for all the support.’ said the Manchester United winger.
Five Premier League stars made it into the team of the year – Maritnez, Ruben Dias, William Saliba, Rodri, and Erling Haaland.
Vini Jr’s recognition comes not long after a rather acrimonious episode surrounding the Ballon d’Or ceremony, from which a Madrid delegation reportedly numbering in its 50s abstained after learning that their star had come second.
Real Madrid’s delegation had declined to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where Rodri won the prize for the first time, after the result was leaked in advance of the gala in Paris
Alejandro Garnacho took home the Puskas Award for his overhead kick against Everton
When it was leaked that Rodri was in fact the winner, Real reacted furiously and not a single club representative was there to watch their team win several honours at the event and their players place highly in the main list – with Vini second, Bellingham third, and Dani Carvajal fourth.
‘I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready,’ Vinicius Jr later posted.
He had been a hot favourite to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or after his epic contribution leading Madrid’s frontline to the LaLiga-UEFA Champions League double. The Brazilian, 24, hit six goals and four assists in ten Champions League appearances and tallied 20 goal involvements in 26 La Liga matches.
‘If the criteria of the award do not proclaim Vinicius the winner, those same criteria must proclaim Carvajal the winner,’ the club stated.
‘Since this has not been the case, it is obvious that the Ballon d’Or and UEFA do not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid is not where it is not respected.’
Sources at the club told ESPN Brazil that the snub was ‘historic robbery’.
Marca also reported that Madrid insiders have furiously declared ‘the Ballon d’Or no longer exists for us’.
