CBF director still bitter over Vinicius’ Ballon d’Or snub – ‘All of us in Brazil knew he would win’ | OneFootball

Almost half a year has passed since the 2024 Ballon d’Or was handed out, yet the controversy surrounding the decision continues to echo, particularly in Brazil.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri walked away with the honour, but many still believe that Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. was unfairly denied football’s most prestigious individual accolade.

This sentiment was reignited recently by Brazil’s national team sporting director Rodrigo Caetano, who voiced his discontent over the decision.

Speaking publicly, Caetano made it clear that the Brazilian football community remains adamant: the Ballon d’Or should have gone to Vinicius.

“All of us, in Brazil, knew that if someone deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, of course it would be Vinicius, for everything he did last season, with titles, with plays, with goals,” said Caetano as quoted by SER.

Deserving indeed

Indeed, Vinicius was at the heart of Real Madrid’s sensational 2023/24 campaign under Carlo Ancelotti.

Vinicius Jr. played a key role in the 2023/24 season. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

In a season where Los Blancos were not seen as favourites, they managed to conquer everything in sight: La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, and most importantly, the UEFA Champions League.

Their knockout victories over Manchester City and Bayern Munich were seen as defining moments, with Vinicius delivering when it mattered most.

Statistically, the Brazilian forward had a season to remember. He finished as Real Madrid’s top scorer with 24 goals across all competitions.

His efforts did not go unnoticed by UEFA. Vinicius was named in both the La Liga Team of the Season and the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season.

He shared the latter honour with teammates Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rudiger.

To top it off, he was also crowned UEFA Champions League Player of the Season, a recognition of his immense contribution to Madrid’s triumph.

And yet, when the time came to award the Ballon d’Or, Vinicius was overlooked in favour of Rodri.

While the Manchester City midfielder undoubtedly had an excellent season, many feel his achievements pale in comparison to the influence and impact Vinicius had on Real Madrid’s historic campaign.