Vinicius Robbed Ballon d’Or Award – Real Madrid Players
…Why Real Madrid Players Shunned Award Ceremony
Reactions have continued to trail Rodri’s historic emergence as the 2024 men’s Ballon d’Or winner, with football fans and players saying Vinicius was robbed of the award.
Vinícius had been a leading contender to win the 2024 men’s prize after leading Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season.
Rodri was part of the Spain team that won Euro 2024, starting every game except the third group stage match against Albania, and was named the player of the tournament.
He went on a world record 74 games unbeaten for club and country from March 2023 to May 2024, avoiding defeat (other than via penalties) until City’s loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
He became the first defensive midfielder to win the award, and also the first-ever Manchester City player to win the prestigious award.
No representative from Real Madrid attended the award ceremony after they found out that Vinicius was not going to win.
A section of Real Madrid players took to social media to register their displeasure for the award, and support to Vinicius.
Vinicius himself was not left out as he took to his Instagram handle to react.
He wrote on X: “I will do it 10 times again if I have to. They are not ready.”
Eduardo Camavinga described it as football politics.
He wrote on X: “Football’s politics (…). Brother, you are the best player in the world, and no award can say otherwise. I love you, brother.”
Aurélien Tchouameni also took to X to express his support to Vinicius.
He wrote: “Nothing will take away what you have achieved, brother. We all know it. They are not ready for what you are going to deliver. Love,”
Real Madrid’s Brazilian defender, Eder Militao described Vinicius as the best.
He wrote, “You are the best and no one can take that away from you.”
Former Real Madrid midfielder, Clarence Seedorf revealed that Vinicius deserved to win the award over Rodri.
He said, “Vini Jr. deserves to keep this award. I think problems between Real Madrid and UEFA should be kept separated from an award the player deserves. It’s a shame.”
Football fans were also not left out of the reactions as many of them took to X to express their displeasure.
Mark described it as the biggest robbery in football history, while claiming that Vinicius has been completely robbed.
He wrote, “Rodri winning this Ballon d’Or is the biggest robbery in football history. He wasn’t the best Prem player. He wasn’t the best UCL player. He wasn’t even the best Euro player. Vini has been completely robbed.”
Another user wrote: “Nothing to take away from Rodri, but Vinicius is the real winner and the entire world knows that!”
“It’s very clear who is the winner, They robbed Vinicius. It’s the biggest scandal ever in football. What a shame and disgrace.”
Kishin Mahtani termed it as a disgraceful decision to deny Vinicius of the award.
He wrote, “Disgraceful decision, but this is an award ceremony that has become a joke. Vinicius all the way for me personally. He has been robbed.”
Meanwhile, Real Madrid have released a statement to explain why no representative of the club attended the award ceremony.
The statement read: “If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner.
“As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or-Uefa does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
Rodri is the first Premier League player to win the Ballon d’Or since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008.
Vinicius Robbed Ballon d’Or Award – Real Madrid Players is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
