# Ronaldo believes it was unfair not to award the Ballon d'Or to Vinícius

> This year’s Ballon d’Or was awarded on October 28, but debates surrounding it continue even after two months. While Vinícius Júnior was a strong contender, the controversy began when the award went to Rodri. Recently, C…

Published: 2024-12-28 · Desk: Sports · Source: Prothom Alo

This year’s Ballon d’Or was awarded on October 28, but debates surrounding it continue even after two months. While Vinícius Júnior was a strong contender, the controversy began when the award went to Rodri. Recently, Cristiano Ronaldo added his voice to the discussion. Speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner expressed his belief that Vinícius was unfairly overlooked. According to Ronaldo, the Brazilian star from Real Madrid was more deserving of the honor than Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri.

“In my opinion, he (Vinícius) deserved the Golden Ball (Ballon d’Or),” Ronaldo stated. “I’m saying this openly—it was unfair. They gave it to Rodri, and while he deserved it too, the award should have gone to Vinícius. He won the Champions League and scored in the final.”

Ronaldo, who has won the Ballon d’Or five times, did not make it to this year’s shortlist of nominees. The 39-year-old criticized *France Football*, the magazine behind the Ballon d’Or, saying, “That’s how these events are; they always play by their own rules.” He also praised the Globe Soccer Awards, adding, “That’s why I love the Globe Soccer Awards. They are honest.”

Last season, Vinícius won La Liga, the Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid and was named Player of the Season in the Champions League. Meanwhile, Rodri won the Premier League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup with Manchester City, as well as the UEFA European Championship with Spain, where he was named Player of the Tournament. Despite his accomplishments, Vinícius finished 41 points behind Rodri in the Ballon d’Or voting, which was determined by journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries.

Although Vinícius missed out on the Ballon d’Or, he won FIFA’s *The Best* award on December 17, beating Rodri by a narrow 5-point margin. Voting for *The Best* included coaches, captains, journalists, and online users from FIFA member nations. Interestingly, Portugal captain Bernardo Silva’s top vote went to Rodri, while the Portuguese journalist for the Ballon d’Or placed Vinícius fifth.

At the Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo won two titles. With 44 goals and 13 assists in 45 matches during the 2023–24 season, he was named the Best Player in the Middle East and also received the award for all-time top scorer, having netted 916 goals across club and international football. However, the Globe Soccer Awards have faced criticism for alleged favoritism toward Ronaldo, such as when he was controversially named “Player of the Century” in 2020.

During the event, Ronaldo also shared insights into his post-retirement plans. “I’ll never be a coach. A president? No. Maybe I’ll own a club,” he said in an interview. When asked if he was considering purchasing a specific club, Ronaldo replied, “Not yet. Maybe a few. It depends on the timing and opportunity.”

At the same event, Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal was named Emerging Player of the Year, while Vinícius won Best Player and Best Forward. This year’s Globe Soccer Awards winners were chosen through online voting, with a record-breaking 100 million fans from 200 countries participating.

Original reporting: https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/ravdnhp49y
HTML: https://tezzfeed.com/sports/ronaldo-believes-it-was-unfair-not-to-award-the-ballon-dor-to-vinicius-1735368613297
Bangladesh desk: https://tezzfeed.com/bangladeshi-news.md
Agent map: https://tezzfeed.com/llms.txt