Real Madrid midfielder, Jude Bellingham has expressed his belief that his teammate Vinicius Junior was more deserving of the 2024 Ballon d'Or award than the eventual winner, Rodri of Manchester City.
The prestigious accolade, presented by France Football at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on October 28, 2024, recognized Rodri as the world's best player.
Despite this, Bellingham argued that Vinicius, who had an outstanding season with Real Madrid, scoring 24 goals and playing a crucial role in securing three trophies, including their second La Liga-Champions League double in three years, should have been honored instead.
Bellingham's comments came ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League match against Liverpool on November 28, 2024. He praised Vinicius, stating, "I think when we won the Champions League, this was our Ballon d'Or, the recognition that we were the best team in Europe." He further added, "Rodri is a fantastic player, but I think someone from Madrid deserved it."
Despite Vinicius' major contributions to Real Madrid's success, he finished behind Rodri in the final voting for the Ballon d'Or. Bellingham acknowledged the Brazilian's absence due to injury as a concern for the team but expressed confidence in their ability to perform well without him. "Vini is one of the best players in the world ... if not the best. It is a significant loss, but I have full faith that the rest of the team can replace him," Bellingham stated.
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