"Has to get this Ballon d'Or story out of his head" - Brazil legend sends message to Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr
Brazil legend Rivaldo recently advised Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. to forget about his Ballon d'Or snub and focus on winning again. Rivaldo's comments came after Los Blancos lost two consecutive games against Barcelona (4-0 in LaLiga) and AC Milan (3-1 in the UEFA Champions League).
Despite being one of the favorites to win the 2024 Ballon d'Or, Vinicius Jr. only stood second in the rankings. Instead, Manchester City star Rodri took home the coveted golden ball. Vinicius' snub led Real Madrid to boycott France Football's ceremony with no delegation from the club being present in Paris. Multiple former and current Los Blancos stars also spoke in support of Vini Jr. following the ceremony.
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, former Brazil international Rivaldo shared his two cents on the matter and offered his compatriot some advice.
“Vinicius has to get this Ballon d’Or story out of his head, start playing again and start playing well for Real Madrid, who have to win games after two consecutive defeats," Rivaldo said.
He added:
"Vinicius is young, he has age and football to reverse all this. Someday win the Ballon d’Or. He can be the best in the world one or more times. All the journalists who vote, do they really understand football? Are they qualified to do so?"
Vinicius Jr. had an exceptional 2023-24 campaign, winning the UEFA Champions League, LaLiga, and the Supercopa de Espana. He recorded 24 goals and 11 assists for Los Blancos in 39 outings across competitions. The 24-year-old has continued his impressive form this season, recording 16 G/A in 16 appearances for Real Madrid across competitions.
"They're not ready" - Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. shared cryptic message on social media following Ballon d'Or snub
Shortly after Rodri won the Ballon d'Or ahead of Vinicius Jr., the Real Madrid superstar took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a message. He wrote (translation via Google):
"I'll do it 10x if I have to. They're not ready."
Vinicius has been one of Real Madrid's most significant attackers, recording 92 goals and 82 assists in 280 outings across competitions. The Brazil international joined Los Blancos from Flamengo in 2018 for a reported €46 million. He has won two Champions League trophies, three LaLiga titles, and one Copa del Rey, among other honors.
After his stellar 2023-24 campaign, multiple reports leading up to the ceremony in October tipped Vinicius to be the clear Ballon d'Or winner. However, hours ahead of the event, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that the Brazilian would not be traveling to Paris as he would not win. Los Blancos boycotted the event in solidarity with Vini, despite winning men's club of the year.
Carlo Ancelotti was also named men's coach of the year while Jude Bellingham stood third in the Ballon d'Or rankings after Rodri and Vini Jr.