Vinicius Junior's Ballon d'Or setback: Inside the voting that crowned Rodri

Rodri was named the world’s best soccer player last Monday by France Football, the organization behind the prestigious Ballon d’Or. The Spanish midfielder’s stellar performances for Manchester City throughout the season earned him the award, while Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior came in a close second. Newly published details of the voting reveal intriguing dynamics behind the result.

According to L’Equipe, Rodri secured the top spot with a slim lead of just 41 points over Vinicius Junior—a razor-thin difference considering the Ballon d’Or’s scoring system: The panel of 99 voters ranked their top ten players, awarding 15 points for first place, 12 for second, and decreasing increments for subsequent positions.

Notably, three voters did not include Vinicius in their top ten, denying him any points. Rodri faced a similar situation, being omitted by five voters. These absences underline how subjective the evaluations can be, even at the highest level.

While Rodri and Vinicius were the clear frontrunners, seven other players received first-place votes from the 99 journalists. Jude Bellingham garnered five top votes, Dani Carvajal four, and Toni Kroos two. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Lautaro Martinez, and Ademola Lookman each earned a single first-place selection.

Rodrigo Hernández Cascante aka Rodri attends the 67th Ballon D’Or Ceremony at Theatre Du Chatelet on October 30, 2023 in Paris, France.

The final Ballon d’Or rankings

Rodri claimed the award with 1,170 points, followed closely by Vinicius Junior at 1,129 points. The top ten included:

3- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

4- Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)

5- Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

6- Kylian Mbappé (formerly Paris Saint-Germain)

7- Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan)

8- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

9- Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)

10- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Real Madrid’s dominance in the rankings reflected their successes in the Champions League and La Liga. Four of their players made the top ten, with Mbappé, listed as a Paris Saint-Germain player during the voting period, now part of the Madrid squad.

see also

Hollywood star and Real Madrid fan slams ‘spoiled child’ Vinicius over Ballon d’Or no-show

The next awards

The debates surrounding the Ballon d’Or may reignite with the upcoming FIFA The Best awards, scheduled for early 2025. While the exact date is yet to be announced, the ceremony typically takes place in January, as seen in the 2024 edition on January 15.

Unlike the Ballon d’Or, which evaluates performances across the European football season (August to June), The Best considers achievements over the calendar year. This distinction could significantly alter the results, factoring in performances from the second half of 2024. Real Madrid and Manchester City stars are likely to dominate the conversation once again, but the final outcome remains unpredictable.