The 2024 Ballon d’Or debate brought forth several compelling candidates, each with an undeniable impact on club and international football. Yet, when the dust settled, Manchester City’s Rodri ultimately took home the trophy, while Vinícius Júnior was left in his shadow.
Although the result was leaked before the announcement, it still took many by surprise, with fans even chanting for Vini Jr. before the award was revealed to be going for Rodri.
What also puzzled many fans was how Vini Jr. carried so much of the momentum to win the Ballon d’Or, looking like a shoe-in to win, before Rodri was suddenly named as the favorite on the day of, with Spanish sources even leaking of UEFA retaliating against Real Madrid for their past Super League involvement.
It was a victory for Rodri, but for fans of the beautiful game, one can’t help but feel the scales of justice tipped against the Real Madrid forward. In this alternative vision of the Ballon d’Or podium, let’s consider why Vinícius was the rightful heir to the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
A Story of Transcendence
Vinícius Jr. transformed from a talented prospect into the world’s most feared winger. Now, his transformation had been in the making for several years, with his breakout actually occurring upon his first Champions League title in the 2021/22 season.
But back then, Vini Jr. was the sidekick to Karim Benzema, who won the Ballon d’Or for that unforgettable campaign. In 2023/24, Vini Jr. was the main man behind the Champions League title, producing his finest performances against the world’s very best teams in the knockout stages.
Last season, Vinícius wasn’t just scoring or assisting; he was embodying Real Madrid’s ethos of brilliance, tenacity, and resilience. Watching him in action was like watching a footballer whose every movement conducted electricity.
Vinícius didn’t simply dribble past defenders; he tormented them, forcing them into mistakes, forcing teams into tearing their entire game plan into shreds before setting the rubbish bin of their ideas into an inferno.
Real Madrid’s offense lived and died by Vinícius’ boots, and there’s no overstating his importance to the team’s style of play.
The Ballon d’Or isn’t just a measure of individual excellence; it’s an award that signifies how a player shapes the identity of their team, the league, and even the sport.
Rodri may have been the control tower for Manchester City’s treble-winning side, but Vinícius was the spark that ignited every one of Real Madrid’s comebacks, counterattacks, and championship ambitions. Look no further than what he did to Bayern Munich so bravely across two legs.
Vinícius Jr.’s Resilience
To say Vinícius Jr. faced adversity in 2024 would be an understatement. The racial abuse he endured was not just an affront to him but an indictment of modern football.
For Vinícius, every incident became another reason to fight, another layer to the armor he wore on the pitch. Each tackle, each jeer, each discriminatory remark seemed to only reinforce his desire to dominate.
And dominate he did. Vinícius played as if every match was his declaration of dignity and skill in the face of adversity. He took the hardest route to the Ballon d’Or: the path of resilience. Vinícius responded with virtuoso performances that sent messages louder than any words could.
This mental strength is what sets him apart. He wasn’t just playing football; he was sending a message to his detractors, to the football establishment, and to anyone who questioned his right to be on the pedestal.
I think the backdrop of the racial abuse and lack of institutional support Vini Jr. received needs to be a part of his Ballon d’Or story, and it should have been considered more carefully by the voters.
Because fans have taken to social media believing that there is bias against Black players in the Ballon d’Or voting – looking at past snubs of players like Thierry Henry, for example – and they have even made graphics and hashtags in protest of the decision to go against Vini Jr.
Performances That Win Matches
For all the emphasis on Rodri’s defensive and playmaking contributions, it’s Vinícius’ contributions in the final third that set him apart. Football is a sport defined by moments, and Vinícius was the ultimate architect of these moments in 2024.
Whether it was his curling shots from the edge of the box, his perfectly timed runs behind defenders, or his quick-footed trickery that left fullbacks scrambling, Vinícius’ highlights were not just impressive—they were decisive.
Again, those two legs against Bayern Munich encapsulated Vini Jr.s’ game-changing play at its finest, with his intelligent movement off the ball to split center backs or his effervescent dribbling, bubbling on the wing when it seemed like the rest of his team had given up.
He scored in matches that mattered, he stepped up in Champions League knockout stages, and he was relentless in La Liga, keeping Real Madrid in contention during their toughest stretches. His contributions were the kind of match-defining moments that history remembers.
Compare this to Rodri, whose performances were influential but rarely game-changing. Vinícius’ contributions didn’t just change games—they elevated them. You can’t tell the story of the wins over Manchester City and Dortmund in the final without Vini Jr.
What more can we say about a player who had 10 goal contributions in 10 Champions League games? And more than 5.0 combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per match.
He was unstoppable on the biggest stage of it all, taking home the most important title in world football as the star man and difference-maker while dominating a gritty LaLiga just as easily to the tune of 20 goal contributions in 22 starts.
From no-look passes to trivela assists to last-minute goals and spell-binding hat-tricks, Vini Jr. was aesthetic, effective, and, most importantly of all, a two-time double champion for Real Madrid.
Rodri had an exceptional season in midfield for Manchester City, but he was a cog in the wheel. A key one, a legitimate contender, but not the best pick, given Vini Jr. ran circles around him in the quarterfinals and captured the moment in ways the Ballon d’Or winner must.
And though Brazil’s failings are pinned on him just as they were for Neymar, take a closer look and actually watch the games. You’ll find there was a massive difference in quality whenever Vini Jr. played and whenever he did not.
