The 2023 Ballon d’Or was awarded on October 28, and although two months have passed, the debate surrounding it continues. While Vinícius Júnior has been at the center of discussions, the controversy began when Rodri won the prestigious award. Now, Cristiano Ronaldo has joined the debate, stating that Vinícius was unfairly overlooked.
Ronaldo made his comments yesterday at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai. The Al Nassr star believes that the Ballon d’Or should have gone to Vinícius, the Brazilian forward from Real Madrid, rather than Manchester City’s Spanish defensive midfielder Rodri.
In his speech, Ronaldo said, “In my opinion, he (Vinícius) deserved the Ballon d’Or. I’m saying this in front of everyone, it’s unfair. They gave it to Rodri, who also deserved it, but it should have been Vinícius. He won the Champions League and scored in the final.”
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, was not even included in the shortlist for the award this year. He criticized the organizers of the Ballon d’Or, French magazine France Football, saying, “This is what these events are like. They always do this.” He then praised the Globe Soccer Awards for their integrity, saying, “That’s why I love the Globe Soccer Awards. They are honest.”
Last season, Vinícius helped Real Madrid win La Liga, the Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup. He was also named the Champions League Player of the Season. Meanwhile, Rodri helped Manchester City win the Premier League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup, and he also lifted the Euro with Spain, being named the tournament’s best player. In the Ballon d’Or voting, Rodri won by a 41-point margin over Vinícius. The award was decided by votes from journalists in the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings.
Although Vinícius did not win the Ballon d’Or, he claimed the FIFA Best Player award on December 17, beating Rodri by 5 points. The Best award was decided by coaches, captains, journalists, and online voters from FIFA’s member nations. Interestingly, the first vote in favor of Rodri came from Portugal’s captain, Bernardo Silva, who voted for him in both the Ballon d’Or and The Best awards, with Vinícius ranking fifth in the former.
At this year’s Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo won two awards. He was named the best player in the Middle East after scoring 44 goals and providing 13 assists in 45 matches during the 2023-24 season. He was also awarded the all-time top scorer award, having scored 916 goals for both club and country. However, the Globe Soccer Awards have faced criticism over allegations of bias towards Ronaldo, such as the backlash when he won the ‘Player of the Century’ award in 2020.
In his post-award interview, Ronaldo also shared his thoughts on life after football, saying, “I will never be a coach. President? No. Maybe I’ll be a club owner.” When asked if he was thinking about becoming a club owner, Ronaldo replied, “Probably. Let’s see. It depends on time and the right opportunity.” He was also asked if he had a specific club in mind to purchase, and he said, “Not yet. Maybe a few.”
Barcelona’s Spanish star Lamine Yamal won the “Emerging Player of the Year” award at the Globe Soccer Awards. Vinícius took home both the “Best Player” and “Best Forward” awards. The winners of the Globe Soccer Awards are decided through online voting, with 100 million fans from 200 countries and regions participating, setting a new record.
