Former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has accepted that Vinicius Junior was affected by missing out on the 2024 Ballon d’Or, but hailed the Brazilian’s character while predicting bigger and better things for the forward.
The penetrative force at the tip of a Real Madrid attack which won La Liga and the Champions League in 2024 was the nailed-on favorite to lift that year’s Ballon d’Or. After Vinicius scored a hat-trick against Borussia Dortmund six days before the grand ceremony in Paris, the Santiago Bernabéu chanted: “Ballon d’Or, Vinicius Ballon d’Or.”
Yet, when it came to the event, Manchester City midfielder Rodri was crowned the best player in the world.
Rumors of this shocking outcome surfaced on the day of the ceremony, which Vinicius and the entire Real Madrid squad boycotted in protest. In the immediate aftermath of the award, the 25-year-old posted on social media: “I’ll do 10x if I have to. They’re not prepared.”
Over the subsequent 12 months, Vinicius has actually endured a dip in form rather than any explosive improvement in end product.
