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By Letara Draghia •
Published: 05 Nov 2024 • 11:33
• 1 minute read
Reports have emerged that Real Madrid knew Vinicius Jr would not win the 2024 Ballon d’Or. The club decided to withhold this information from Vinicius to avoid distracting him before their crucial El Clásico match against Barcelona.
Cadena SER reported that sources close to Vinicius believed he had strong suspicions as early as the Friday before the ceremony, with information suggesting his chances of winning were slim. Despite Real Madrid’s attempts to protect Vinicius’ focus, the team ultimately lost the match with 4-0.
Real Madrid’s decision to skip the Ballon d’Or ceremony
Real Madrid’s reaction to Vinicius’ loss went beyond shielding him personally – the club decided not to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony at all. Initially prepared to make the journey to Paris, the delegation was ready to depart when head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, decided to cancel the trip, as reported by COPE.
Ancelotti supposedly made this decision as a show of solidarity, believing it was best for the team’s morale. Ancelotti later downplayed Vinicius’ reaction to the award, mentioning that Vinicius was more concerned with recent flooding in Valencia, which had deeply affected Spain. He said, “Vinicius is sad, like us, but not because of the Ballon d’Or, but because he is seeing the situation in Valencia.”
A disappointing outcome for Vinicius Jr at the Ballon d’Or, despite record-breaking season
24-year-old Vinicius Jr was a favourite for the Ballon d’Or after a standout season in which he netted 24 goals and broke Lionel Messi’s record as the youngest player to score in multiple Champions League finals. Despite his impressive performances, Vinicius finished second to Rodri of Manchester City. Responding to the outcome on social media, Vinicius shared a resilient message on X: “I ll do it 10x if I have to. They re not ready.”
For Vinicius, the journey has involved not just overcoming challenges on the pitch but also facing down racism in La Liga. Since joining Real Madrid at 18, he has become a vocal advocate against racism, facing 21 incidents of racist abuse in Spanish football.
In June, three Valencia fans received prison sentences for hate crimes directed at him. Vinicius has taken a strong stance, recently stating, “I m not a victim of racism. I m the tormentor of racists.”
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