"Words from somebody who is frustrated" - Journalist slams Real Madrid president for comments about Vini Jr's Ballon d'Or
Namibian journalist Sheefeni Nikodemus lambasted Real Madrid president Florentino Perez for his comments on superstar forward Vinicius Jr's Ballon d'Or snub. The reporter called out Perez for his comments on the African nation's voting for the award ceremony, labeling him as a 'frustrated' individual.
At the Ballon d'Or gala, held on October 28 in Paris, Manchester City midfielder Rodri beat Vinicius to the prestigious award. In the final vote, the Spaniard accumulated a total of 1170 points, barely edging past the 24-year-old who accrued 1129 points.
After the snub, Perez publicly called for the award to be handled by an independent body as opposed to the French Football magazine. He also called for the organizers to consider the opinions of 'well-known, prestigious people' in the footballing system rather than journalists across the globe.
At Real Madrid's annual general meeting on November 25, Perez said (via GOAL):
"Some of (the voters) didn't even include Vinicius in the top 10. Can anyone understand journalists not thinking Vinicius is one of the best in the world? Without Namibia, Uganda, Albania and Finland, he would have won the Ballon d'Or. And those countries didn't even vote for him!"
"Personally, I think the Ballon d'Or should be organised independently, and the votes should be in the hands of well-known, prestigious people with a reputation in the football world," Perez concluded.
On Spanish radio station Cadena SER's El Larguero program, Nikodemus issued a defiant response to Perez's words, saying (via Goal):
"Essentially, I suspect it's just words from somebody who is frustrated, Mr Perez that is. If he feels like people from my country, and the other countries mentioned do not have a significant vote because we are inferior people, I would just like to know, if I was from one of the leading football nations, and I disagreed with his opinion, what would his argument be?"
While Rodri remains sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury suffered in September, Vinicius is already staking his claim as a favorite for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The Brazilian has already bagged 12 goals and eight assists in just 18 games across all competitions this season.
"Not this one" - Real Madrid president Florentino Perez makes claim about Rodri's Ballon d'Or victory over Vini Jr
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claimed that Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who won the 2024 Ballon d'Or title, deserved last year's award instead.
He continued to champion the cause of Brazilian superstar Vinicius Jr., who was considered one of the favorites to win the award. The forward's 24 goals and 11 assists in 39 games helped his side win LaLiga, Supercopa de Espana, and the UEFA Champions League title last season.
Despite the Brazilian's incredible season, Rodri was named the winner of the 2024 edition of the award. While Perez acknowledged the brilliance of the 28-year-old, he claimed that a player from Real Madrid deserved to win the title this year.
At the club's annual general meeting on November 25, Perez said (via GOAL):
"Rodri is a great player, he's from Madrid, and he has our affection. He deserved a Ballon d'Or, but not this one. He deserved it the year before. This year, the Ballon d'Or should have gone to a Real Madrid player: Vinicius, or our captain Dani Carvajal, or even Jude Bellingham."
Up next, Real Madrid will take on Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League at Anfield on November 26.