Vinicius Jr has commented on missing out on the Ballon d'Or following Real Madrid's FIFA Intercontinental Cup triumph in Qatar.
Vinicius, who was the favorite to win the prize, was beaten to the award by Manchester City's Rodri back in October. Upon learning he would not be winning, the Brazilian forward and the rest of Real Madrid boycotted the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Speaking to the media following Real Madrid's 3-0 victory over Mexico's Pachuca in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final, Vinicius, per Forbes, subtly criticized the Ballon d'Or, highlighting that missing out on the award hasn't affected his perspective.
"I live things very calmly. Madrid is the biggest club in the world. I haven't lowered my head either and I've continued to work hard. An award that people didn't want to vote for me for isn't going to change what I think, what all my teammates tell me every day. I'm here to play for them and do my best for the biggest jersey in the world."
Despite failing to win the Ballon d'Or this year, Vinicius did win the The Best FIFA Men's Player of the Year 2024 in Qatar earlier this week. This award's votes were cast by players, managers, and fans, whereas the Ballon d'Or is selected by journalists from around the world.
MORE: OFFICIAL: Real Madrid Superstar Vinicius Jr Wins The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2024
Following the special award win on Tuesday, Vinicius took to Instagram and wrote a passionate message.
"I came, I saw, I won. Today, I write this for that boy who saw so many idols lift that trophy… your time has come. That is, my time has come. The time to state that, yes, I am the best player in the world and I fought a lot to get here. They tried and continue to try to cancel me, to belittle me. But they're not able to. Nobody is going to tell me for whom I can fight or how I should behave … I won for me, for my family. With a lot of support along the way: Flamengo, Real Madrid, the Brazilian national team, hundreds of my fellow players during those years… the people who share with me my daily routine, who admire me … THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD."
Since joining Real Madrid in 2018, Vinicius has been one of the club's standout players. So far this season, the 24-year-old has scored 13 times in 20 appearances across all major competitions. He has also provided nine assists.
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