The Brazilian forward expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who voted for him.
With the FIFA Men’s Player of the Year award in hand, Vinícius Júnior’s face radiated pure joy. Standing in the moment of triumph, wiping away past disappointments, the Brazilian forward thanked his coaches, teammates, and everyone who supported him. He also shared his desire to continue wearing the Real Madrid jersey for many years to come.
On Tuesday night, at the The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony, Vinícius walked up to the stage after being announced as the world’s best footballer. FIFA President Gianni Infantino handed him the trophy and said, “If you want to know who the best footballer in the world is, you’ll know it through FIFA.”
Infantino’s words, along with Vinícius holding the award, seemed to echo the shadow of the recent Ballon d’Or controversy.
Although Vinícius didn’t achieve anything extraordinary with his national team during the award’s consideration period, his performances for Real Madrid were nothing short of brilliant.
He played a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s triumphs in the Champions League, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup. In the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, he scored the second goal in a 2-0 victory and was named the tournament’s best player.
In the Spanish Super Cup final, Vinícius delivered a hat-trick against Barcelona. Across all competitions in the 2023-24 season, he scored 24 goals in 39 matches for Real Madrid.
Given such dazzling performances, many had tipped him as a favorite for this year’s Ballon d’Or. However, on October 28, Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri edged him out, sparking much debate and criticism, especially from Vinícius and Real Madrid’s camp.
But in FIFA’s voting, Vinícius turned the tables, beating Rodri to claim The Best FIFA Men’s Player award. The Brazilian forward scored 48 points, with Rodri trailing at 43 points.
As he held the FIFA Player of the Year trophy, Vinícius’ words carried the weight of redemption:
“Reaching this level felt impossible, and it means so much to me.”
The award’s outcome was determined by votes from captains, coaches, and select journalists from FIFA member nations, accounting for 75% of the votes, while the remaining 25% came from fans.
Vinícius expressed his gratitude to everyone who voted for him:
“I want to thank the coaches, players, and journalists who voted for me. This is a very important achievement because so many people believed in me. It shows I’m on the right path. I’m calm and happy, and now I am the best player in the world. I’m also thrilled with all the good things happening for this team.”
He concluded by reaffirming his loyalty to Real Madrid:
“I want to keep playing for Real Madrid for many more years. This is the best club in the world.”
