Naymar junior does not believe any other player can win the 2024 Ballon d’or other than Real Madrid and Brazil Talisman Vinicius jr. Neymar rooting for Brazil hero ahead of Ballon d’or 2024.
Vinicius have had a prolific year with Los Blancos and the national team. “He has become a great hero for us” Neymar said of his compatriot. “I am very happy that he is carrying this Brazilian flag around the World”.
Brazil legend Naymar has tipped “great idol” Vinicius jr to collect a maiden Ballon d’or award later this year after a sparking 2024 for club and country.
He hopes the 24-year-old Vinicius can help to bring the award back to Brazil for the first time since 2007 when AC Milan’s kaka reigned supreme.
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Neymar talks about his relationship with vinicius junior.
“We have a wonderful relationship, I love Vini”, Neymar revealed. “Vini is beyond, and he is a great friend to whom I was introduced by football.
“He had a great season, he certainly played a lot. I certainly will be rooting for him to win the Ballon d’or, I don’t think there is anyone else but him to win it.
“We hope that it comes back to Brazil soon and that it is now with Vini, a guy who deserves it because he is a hard worker and has suffered a lot through his life, but he is surpassed all expectations and coped with all the criticism.
“Today, he has become a great idol and a great hero for us, so I am very happy, very happy that he is carrying this Brazilian flag around the world”.
Vincius Jr’s performances so far this year.
The Madrid star has had an exceptional 2024, where he scooped up a third La Liga title and a second UEFA Champions league medal.
Vinicuis scored in the 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium leading Los Blancos to a record extending 16th European title.
He was also part of the UEFA Super Cup winning Madrid side, alongside fellow Ballon d’or contender jude Bellingham.
Vinicius and Brazil came up short in their efforts to claim Copa America success after their defeat in the quarter-final to Uruguay during the summer.
The 23-year-old became the youngest player to score in two Champions league finals, beating Lionel Messi’s record by thirteen days.
Two days later, Vinicuis was named the UEFA Champions league player of the season, registering six goals and five assists in Madrid’s trophy winning campaign.
Top contenders following vinicius junior.
Well, they have been a lot of talks about who will win the 2024 Ballon d’or. The winner will be announced in Paris on Monday, October 28.
Let us look at the top contenders after vinicius junior:
Rodri (Manchester city)
Until the FA cup final, it had been over a year since Rodri last tested defeat inside 90 minutes for Man city, and this has illustrated his importance to the team more than the fact that they lost each of the first three premier league games that he missed in 2023-24.
Rodri is the best defensive midfielder in the world, and the fact that the Spain international has also developed a habit of popping up with crucial goals and assist, including the strike which sealed the premier league title for City, means that he is catching the eyes of even more fans, and Ballon d’or voters.
He may have been forced off of the first half in the Euro 2024 final, but his contributions and performances leading into the game still proved enough for him to claim the player of the tournament prize.
Picking that award may yet prove enough to tip him over the edge when it comes to claiming the Ballon d’or.
This long-term injury picked by Rodri against Arsenal in the premier league may have worked against him, though, and with recent report claiming that Vinicius jr has already been told that he is the 2024 Ballon d’or winner. It is hard to place him any higher the second contender.
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Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Jude Bellingham was the best footballer in the world during the first half of the 2023-24 season, Bellingham took to his new surroundings at Real Madrid like no signing since Cristiano Ronaldo.
Not only did he score frequently, but he also netted hugely important goals as well.
The hype around him was ruptured in early 2024 due to him missing games through injury and suspension, but he reignited his golden ball bid with a tireless performance to help knock Man City out of the Champions league.
He went on to score two crucial goals for England at Euro 2024, including his injury-time overhead-kick against Slovakia to keep England alive at the tournament in the last 16.
Beating Spain in the final would have surely led to first Golden ball for Bellingham. But he will most certainly be on the podium for 2024 Ballon d’or award.
Vinicius junior style of play.
Shortly after his arrival at Real Madrid in July 2018, Vinicius was described as a “vippy left winger”. A versatile player, although he is usually deployed on the left flank, he is capable of playing anywhere along the front line and has also been used on the right or in the center.
Possessing explosive acceleration, and excellent pace, agility, balance, technique, flair, dribbling skills, and close control at speed, as well as significant power, physical strength, and trickery on the ball, despite his slender build.
He is known for his movement, energy, ability to run at defences, change direction quickly and beat opponents in one-on-one situations while in possession of the ball.
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Vinicius being regarded as a promising young player, he is considered to be a dynamic, intelligent, hard-working and nimble winger, with a low center of gravity, as well as impressive passing and awareness.
Moreover he is known for his eye for the final ball, and ability to provide assists to team mates, which makes him an effective playmaker.
Although he is capable of scoring goals by himself, his shooting and goalscoring were initially cited as areas in need of improvement.
His performances led to Spanish press comparing him to Compatriot Neymar. Following his goal in Real Madrid’s victory in 2022 Champions League final, Neymar himself described Vinicius as “the best player in the world”.
He has been ranked as the best-left winger in the world. Vini was also used in a free role as left-sided forward or striker in a 4-3-1-2 formation during the 2023-24 season by manager Carlo Ancelotti, in this position, although he operated in more central areas, he was still given the freedom to move out wide or switch positions and link-up with Rodrygo on the other side of the pitch.
