“Vinicius Responds After Ballon d’Or Loss: ‘They’re Not Ready'”

Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid expressed his thoughts after finishing as the runner-up in the 2024 Ballon d’Or awards. He took to X to say, “I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready,” which quickly drew attention on social media.

Real Madrid decided to skip the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, citing frustration over what they perceived as inadequate recognition for Vinicius. In a statement to AFP, the club stated, “If the award criteria don’t designate Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should name Carvajal. It’s clear that Ballon d’Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid, and Real Madrid will not participate where it is not respected.

In addition to Vinicius, other Real Madrid players like Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger, Fede Valverde, and Jude Bellingham were also nominated for the award.The Ballon d’Or winner is determined by an international jury of 100 journalists, organized by the Amaury Group, which owns L’Equipe and France Football magazine.

The group denied any rumors of leaks, stating that “no player or club” had advance knowledge of the winner.In an unexpected turn, Manchester City and Spain’s Rodri won the men’s Ballon d’Or, recognized for his contributions to securing a fourth consecutive Premier League title and the Euro 2024 victory.

This outcome surprised many, as Vinicius was widely viewed as a favorite after playing a key role in Real Madrid’s Liga and Champions League successes.