Brazilian and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. has vowed to continue his fight against racism, even if his activism may have affected his standing in the Ballon d’Or rankings. According to sources close to the player, Vinicius remains committed to his anti-racism efforts despite finishing second for the prestigious award, trailing only behind Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
After the results, Vinicius posted on social media platform X, stating, “I will do it 10 times if I have to. They’re not ready,” a message his team later confirmed referenced his fight against racism. His camp believes that his outspokenness on this issue played a role in him not securing the top spot, with sources telling Reuters, “the football world is not ready to accept a player who fights against the system.”
Real Madrid, in a show of support, opted to cancel their plans to attend the Paris awards ceremony in anticipation of Vinicius not winning. Teammates also voiced solidarity on social media. Eduardo Camavinga posted, “My brother, you are the best player in the world, and no award can say otherwise. Love you, my bro,” while other teammates shared supportive messages with photos of Vinicius.
Brazilian legend Marta also voiced disappointment in a video message, saying, “I waited all year for Vini Jr to be deservedly recognized as the best player in the world, and now they come to tell me that the Ballon d’Or is not for him?”
Vinicius has faced several instances of racial abuse in Spain, leading to pioneering legal convictions against perpetrators. Despite these challenges, he was a standout performer for Real Madrid, playing a crucial role in their recent Champions League-La Liga double, along with teammate Jude Bellingham, who was also a Ballon d’Or finalist and instrumental in England’s journey to the Euro 2024 final.
Real Madrid’s accomplishments were still honored at the awards, with the club named Men’s Club of the Year and coach Carlo Ancelotti awarded Men’s Coach of the Year. The Ballon d’Or, organized by France Football, is decided by a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries, although the magazine has yet to comment on the speculations surrounding Vinicius’ placement.
