The 2024 Ballon dāOr ceremony concluded with Manchester Cityās Spanish midfielder Rodri taking home the prestigious awardāa decision that sparked immediate controversy among fans and pundits, many of whom believed Real Madridās 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, āIāll do it 10x if I have to. Theyāre not ready,ā 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 dāOr 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 Viniciusā snub
Following the Ballon dāOr ceremony, former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema took to Instagram to show support for Vinicius Jr., who finished in second place.
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Benzema posted a story featuring a photo of himself with the Brazilian forward, captioned āTrop fortā ā which translates to ātoo goodā ā in a nod to Viniciusā talent and the controversial decision to award him runner-up.
Carlo Ancelotti sends message to Vinicius
Carlo Ancelotti, awarded the Menās Johan Cruyff Trophy for Coach of the Year, also took to X (formerly Twitter) following the announcement of Rodri as the Ballon dāOr winner.
āI want to thank my family, my president, my club, my players, and above all Vini and Carvajal,ā Ancelotti wrote, expressing gratitude and subtly acknowledging the efforts of Vinicius Jr. and Dani Carvajal in Real Madridās successful season.
