Former Barcelona superstar wants Real Madrid ace to win the Ballon d’Or – ‘He is a fighter’ | OneFootball

As the Ballon d’Or ceremony nears, the topic of who is set to win the award this season is again doing the rounds.

Purely based on club-level accomplishments, Real Madrid players have the strongest claim to the title as they tasted success not just in Spain but also in Europe under Carlo Ancelotti last season.

International trophies, however, broaden the race as frontrunners like Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. all fell short with their national teams in recently concluded continental events.

Nevertheless, Vinicius Jr is said to be the best placed as it stands.

Neymar picks his winner

Speaking in a recent interview (h/t OK Diario), Barcelona and PSG icon Neymar Jr. spoke on the Ballon d’Or and admitted that Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr would win the award later this month.

“He had a great season, he played many games and I will be supporting him because he will surely win the Ballon d’Or,” he said.

Ballon d’Or incoming? (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

As one of the Brazilian greats who has not yet won the individual accolade himself, Neymar explained the reason why he backed his compatriot to take it home this year with a special emphasis on the battles he has had to wage.

“Vini Jr. deserves the Ballon d’Or because he is a fighter, he suffered a lot throughout his life, he exceeded all expectations, he overcame all the criticisms, trolls and today he has become a great idol, a hero for us.”

Two weeks remain before the Ballon d’Or Gala kicks off at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris and it appears clear at this point that Vinicius has already won the accolade. His only competition, in theory, would appear to be Manchester City’s Rodri.

Having won both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League last year as a protagonist for Real Madrid, the Brazilian has a strong case for the win. After all, he was the player of the tournament in the UCL and scored four goals in two finals including one in the UCL finale.