Football’s most coveted award, the Ballon d’Or, will be handed out on October 28 to the best male player in the world and Vinicius Junior has already made his case as its worthy winner.
The Real Madrid The star is among the favorites to lift the trophy in Paris at the end of the month, with Rodri and Jude Bellingham in contention. However, Vinicius’ achievements from the 2023/24 campaign simply eclipse his superstar counterparts and earned him the award.
Vinicius, of course, won both the League title and Champions League trophy last season, and the Brazilian was at the center of everything good for Madrid, scoring 24 goals in 39 appearances throughout the campaign.
For a natural left back, that’s a pretty impressive return.
He has already found the back of the net eight times this season in just 14 appearances, scoring a hat-trick in Champions League victory on Tuesday on last year’s finalists, Borussia Dortmund. While the successes of this season shouldn’t impact on this year’s Ballon d’Or winner, it’s impossible to overlook his immense performances.
The Ballon d’Or he considers team performances as well as individual displays, making Vinicius’ ability to lead his Madrid side to success an important quality to consider. He was named in both the La Liga and Champions League team of the seasons and was also awarded the tournament’s Player of the Season award.
Off the pitch, Vinicius has impressed with his ability to consistently stand up to those who seek to silence him. The winger orchestrated a major battle against racism in football after being the subject of offensive chants, which eventually led to the arrest of three Valencia fans and stadium sanctions for a number of other perpetrators.
Although his outings in Brazil were slightly less impressive than those for his club, Vinicius still played a big role in his country’s Copa America, scoring twice against Paraguay before Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals of end
Neymar never won the Ballon d’Or, not even during the apex of his brilliant career. But now, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo out of the way, Vincius looks set to become the next Brazilian to claim the coveted prize – joining the likes of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho Gaucho and Kaka.
