The Ballon d’Or ceremony 2024 will start at 1:15 am IST on October 29, Tuesday. Meanwhile, hours ahead of the much-awaited football ceremimony, multiple reports claimed that the prestigious event will not be attended by any players or management representatives of Real Madrid including Vinicius Junior.
Real Madrid's Brazilian winger Vinicius Jr was officially declared the winner of the Ballon d’Or 2024 by several media outlets, quoting a "leaked report." However, latest reports confirm that Vinicius will not travel to Paris as he is convinced that he will not win the coveted prize.
Vini's Real teammate Jude Bellingham of England was also named among possible frontrunners to win the honour created by France Football. However, multiple reports confirm that like Vni Jr, Bellingham will also give the event a skip along with his manager Carlo Ancelotti and president Florentino Perez.
Ballon d’Or 2024: If not Vini, then who?
Vinicius Junior, whose goals helped Madrid to a record-extending 15th European Cup last season, is part of a new generation of stars that are flourishing as Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo reach the final stages of their careers. THE WEEK had earlier said that Manchester City's Spanish CDM Rodri was better suited to lift the prestigipus golden ball over Vinicius. While the winger was undoubtedly the best attacker last year, Rodri has had a more impactful and complete year in football.
FULL REPORT | Ballon d’Or 2024: 'Leaked result' says Vinicius Jr won, but did Rodri deserve it more?
With Vinicius and Bellingham out of the picture, Rodri has once again become the frontrunner to win the award. City manager Pep Guardiola had claimed Rordi to be "the best midfielder in the world".Rodri was instrumental in helping City win their fourth consecutive Premier League trophy and was named the best player at this year's European Championship after helping Spain lift a record-extending fourth title. Bellingham, meanwhile, was named La Liga MVP after scoring a career-best 19 goals in a sparkling debut campaign and helping England.
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland were also among the top contenders to win this year's Ballon d’Or.
How Ballon d’Or winners are determined?
The Ballon d'Or was created by France Football magazine and has been awarded since 1956. It is voted for by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings. Each journalist, one per country, selects 10 players in ranked order, with points attributed to each position. The winner is the player who receives the most points.
The potential to win the award is used during transfer negotiations, with clauses added to contracts stipulating a buying club will pay extra costs if a player goes on to be crowned the best player in the world.