Real Madrid star Vincius Jr misses out on jaw-dropping amount following Ballon d’Or snub: Reports
Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Jr is reportedly set to miss out on €1 million after finishing second in the race for the 2024 Ballon d'Or. Notably, Manchester City star Rodri lifted the award in a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday, October 28.
Globo (via Mail Sport) claim a '€1 million-Ballon d'Or' clause was inserted in his contract during the latest renewal with Los Blancos. Multiple reports claimed that the 24-year-old would win the prestigious award but the Spanish midfielder ended up claiming it.
Vinicius would have become the fifth Brazilian player, and the first since Kaka in 2007, to win the Ballon d'Or if he had finished first after the voting. He had an impressive 2023-24 campaign for Real Madrid as the side won both La Liga and the Champions League. He made 39 appearances across all competitions, bagging 24 goals and 11 assists.
Rodri, on the other hand, proved himself to be a vital contributor to a Manchester City squad that won their fourth straight Premier League title. He had impressive 23-goal contributions while also impressing on the national stage with Spain as they won the 2024 Euro. In the process, he became the first defensive midfielder since Lothar Matthaus in 1990 to win the Ballon d'Or.
Vinicius Jr and other Real Madrid stars boycott Ballon d'Or ceremony after late change in result
Real Madrid's top players didn't attend the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris. The likes of Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Thibaut Courtois all stayed away from the event on Monday, reportedly as a protest to the Brazilian not lifting the award.
Vinicius was reported as the winner until late claims emerged, which predicted Rodri to be the winner. Despite the Ballon d'Or miss, the Real Madrid contingent dominated the night. Jude Bellingham finished third in the rankings, while Dani Carvajal and Toni Kroos also made the top 10.
Carlo Ancelotti was awarded the Johan Cruyff trophy for the best men's coach, while Mbappe shared the Gerd Muller trophy for the highest scorer with Bayern Munich's Harry Kane. For their successes both domestically and on the continental stage, Real Madrid were also named the best team of the year.