The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony concluded with Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri taking home the prestigious award—a decision that sparked immediate controversy among fans and pundits, many of whom believed Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. was more deserving.
Following the ceremony, Vinicius took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his thoughts. The Brazilian, clearly frustrated with the outcome, wrote, “I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready,” signaling his determination to keep pushing for recognition in the future.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Vinicius Jr. and Real Madrid teammates decided against attending the Ballon d’Or ceremony after learning who would take home the trophy.
Despite Rodri taking the top spot, many voiced that Vinicius Jr. should have been the one to claim the award after a standout season, winning both LaLiga and the Champions League, where he was widely regarded as the best player in the tournament. Vinicius also posted impressive stats, scoring 15 goals in LaLiga and six in the Champions League.
Karim Benzema reacts to Vinicius’ snub
Following the Ballon d’Or ceremony, former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema took to Instagram to show support for Vinicius Jr., who finished in second place.
Benzema posted a story featuring a photo of himself with the Brazilian forward, captioned “Trop fort” — which translates to “too good” — in a nod to Vinicius’ talent and the controversial decision to award him runner-up.
Carlo Ancelotti sends message to Vinicius
Carlo Ancelotti, awarded the Men’s Johan Cruyff Trophy for Coach of the Year, also took to X (formerly Twitter) following the announcement of Rodri as the Ballon d’Or winner.
“I want to thank my family, my president, my club, my players, and above all Vini and Carvajal,” Ancelotti wrote, expressing gratitude and subtly acknowledging the efforts of Vinicius Jr. and Dani Carvajal in Real Madrid’s successful season.