"The best player in the world is black and is Brazilian" - Real Madrid legend heaps praises on Vinicius Jr following FIFA The Best award win
Real Madrid legend Ronaldo Nazario heaped praise on superstar forward Vinicius Jr. after he was named The Best men's Player at FIFA's 2024 The Best award ceremony. The 48-year-old called his countryman 'resilient', commending his determination to rise above the racist abuse he had faced over the past few years.
Vinicius bagged 26 goals and 11 assists in 42 games for club and country in the 2023-24 campaign. He helped Real Madrid win LaLiga, Supercopa de Espana and the UEFA Champions League, but fell short in the quarter-final of the 2024 Copa America with Brazil.
Besides his incredible exploits on the field, the 24-year-old made headlines off it due to the multiple racism controversies he found himself embroiled in. He has been the victim of racial abuse on numerous occasions in LaLiga, and has been staunchly outspoken to mobilize efforts and solve the problem.
Ronaldo acknowledged his compatriot's efforts on and off the field in a recent Instagram post. It read:
"It has been 16 years since the last time the trophy for the best player in the world came to Brazil. Now deservedly in Vini's hands, it means much more than his decisive role in the games and the extraordinary numbers in the 2023/24 season. His talent would be enough to win the award, but his power goes far beyond the field.
"We are talking about one of the most valuable players today, a victim of televised racism with inconceivable frequency. How many anonymous Viniciuses does he represent? How many victims spread all over the place? A symbol of resistance and resilience, today Vini also leads the anti-racist struggle in world football, where impunity is as pernicious as the attacks. And those who remain silent are no less racist."
"The omission - especially by entities and authorities that have the legal power to confront and punish such practices - further reinforces the culture of erasure and disrespect towards black people. They tried to erase you, my friend. And you rocked. THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD IS BLACK AND BRAZILIAN," the post concluded.
"I fought hard for it" - Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. sends heartfelt message after 2024 The Best award victory
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. sent a heartfelt message on social media after being crowned the best player in the world at FIFA's The Best award ceremony.
The Brazilian star was awarded the title at the gala ceremony in Qatar on December 17. He beat out his teammates Dani Carvajal and Jude Bellingham and the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, Manchester City's Rodri, to the title.
In a post on Instagram after the ceremony, Vinicius wrote:
"My time has come Time to say... yes I am the best player in the world and I fought hard for it. They tried and still try to invalidate me, to diminish me. But they are not ready. No one will tell me who I should fight for, how I should behave."
Up next, Vinicius will likely be seen in action in the Intercontinental Cup Final between Real Madrid and Mexican side Pachuca on December 18.