"There's no doubt" – Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti picks his 2024 Ballon d'Or winner
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has stated that Vinicius Junior, who was vital to his team's UEFA Champions League triumph earlier this Saturday, should lift the 2024 Ballon d'Or award.
Vinicius, 23, ended his 2023-24 season with aplomb, scoring Los Blancos' second goal in their 2-0 Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund. Prior to his 83rd-minute goal, Dani Carvajal netted the opener after heading in from a corner in the 74th minute.
After the end of the Champions League summit clash at Wembley, Ancelotti stated that the Brazilian superstar is deserving of the Ballon d'Or award this year. He said (h/t Hindustan Times):
"Vini deserves the Ballon d'Or. I've no doubts."
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez agreed with Ancelotti, saying:
"Vini should win the Ballon d'Or. There is no doubt."
Vinicius, who left Flamengo to join Los Merengues for €45 million in the summer of 2018, scored 24 goals in 39 games across all competitions last campaign. He also laid out 11 assists in 3,084 minutes of action.
Should Vinicius manage to help Brazil lift the Copa America trophy this summer, he could notch his first Ballon d'Or honor. He would beat the likes of Jude Bellingham, Toni Kroos, Kylian Mbappe, and Harry Kane.
Edin Terzic opines on loss to Real Madrid
After his team's 2-0 Champions League final defeat against Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic shared his two cents on the outcome. He said (h/t Yahoo! Sports):
"They've been so effective and this is something that we missed. We showed we were here to win. There were small things missing. I am [proud]. This is a proud moment, because we brought nearly 100,000 people from Dortmund and everybody had the belief."
Terzic, who coached his first-ever Champions League final, continued:
"It was a great opportunity and we unfortunately didn't make it. As a fan, you are suffering, but if you see how much the boys did and then to get this kind of disappointment, it's different. We need this kind of belief. In the world of sports, there will always be a winner and a loser, but it's about keeping that belief high."
Dortmund, who knocked out Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain to reach the final, relished 43% possession on Saturday. They registered 13 shots compared to Real Madrid's 13 shots, missed three big chances, and completed 345 passes with an accuracy of 86%.
Meanwhile, Dortmund achieved a fifth-placed finish in the Bundesliga table with 63 points from 34 games – 27 points behind the champions.