Vinicius Junior named FIFA Best Player after Ballon d’Or snub

Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Junior has been named the FIFA Men’s Player of the Year.

The 24-year-old, along with Real Madrid, skipped the Ballon d’Or ceremony after being overlooked in favor of Manchester City’s Rodri.

However, Vinicius took the honor at the event held in Doha.

Vinicius contributed to Real Madrid’s successful 2023-24 campaign, where they claimed both the Champions League and La Liga titles.

During this period, he scored 24 goals and 11 assists.

Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati also had a night of celebration, as she retained the Best Female Player award for the second year in a row, while Carlo Ancelotti and Emma Hayes were both recognized as the best coaches of the year.

For Vinicius, this is his first FIFA Best award and adds to the excitement of a season that previously included a Ballon d’Or strike in October.

The Best Time for Real Madrid. ⚪️✨ pic.twitter.com/gPLtcZ7eVP

– Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 17, 2024

The FIFA Best Award and the Ballon d’Or are recognized as the highest honors in football.

Lionel Messi won the FIFA Best award in the last two years, while Robert Lewandowski won it two years ago.

This year’s award, which recognized the performances from August 2023 to August 2024, was determined through a voting process divided into four categories: fans of the team, journalists (one from each country), captains and managers of the national teams. Each group’s votes accounted for 25% of the final decision.

Vinicius’ Real Madrid teammates were already in Qatar preparing for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final against Mexican side Pachuca, which will be held at the Lusail Stadium on Wednesday.

Men’s Team of the Year

The FIFPro Men’s World XI featured five Premier League stars alongside five Real Madrid players, including the retired Toni Kroos, and one Barcelona representative.

The full list included:

• GoalkeeperEmiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
• Protectors: Ruben Dias (Manchester City), William Lintasa (Arsenal), Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid)
• Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Rodri (Manchester City)
• Directors: Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid).