Despite being a frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or, Vinícius Jr. did not take home the trophy, with Rodri emerging as the winner.
The controversial outcome led Real Madrid to forgo their Paris visit, expressing their belief that Vinícius Jr. was the rightful winner. The club, along with several key figures including Vinícius Jr., remained in Spain, voicing their displeasure with the organizers.
Vinícius Jr. responded to the announcement of Rodri's win on social media platform X (previously known as Twitter), stating, "I’ll do it 10 times if I have to. They’re not ready." He was joined by teammates Eduardo Camavinga and Aurélien Tchouaméni, who also voiced their support for the Brazilian star.
Camavinga posted, "Football Politics X: My brother, you are the best player in the world and no award can say otherwise. Love you, my bro," while Tchouaméni added, "Nothing will take away what you’ve achieved my brother. We ALL know… They are not ready for what you’re gonna deliver."
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
