Vinicius Jr will win the Ballon d’Or: Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti
(Courtesy : Getty)
The Brazilian is the favourite to win the illustrious award.
Carlo Ancelotti has hailed Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr to win this year’s Ballon d’Or after the forward’s impressive performances last season.
On Tuesday night, Real Madrid overcame a 2-0 deficit to overcome Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the Champions League, with Vinicius Jr. being the main attraction. The Brazilian winger’s hat-trick in the second half came at a very good moment as he is on the hunt to win the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his career.
The 24-year-old had a fantastic season, leading Madrid to a Champions League and LaLiga double in the 2022-23 season.
He deserves to win the Ballon d’Or at the presentation next week, and it would be the icing on the cake for a year in which he has encountered many challenges, chief among them being frequent racial taunts in Spain.
“It’s rare to see a player perform like Vinicius did in the second half, not just with the goals, but with an extraordinary energy, intensity, and character,” Ancelotti said. “I think he’s going to win the Ballon d’Or for what he did last year, helping us win the Champions League, not for today’s three goals, which will count towards next year’s Ballon d’Or.”
“We can say that Vini will be the next Ballon d’Or, no doubts. Vinicius will win the Ballon d’Or, for me it’s very clear and there can’t be anyone else winning it”.
The Brazil international reportedly reached a breaking point because of the racist taunts, but Ancelotti thinks the situation has improved.
“I think he is respected as he should be. People boo him because he can make a difference,” he added. “The racism issue is being addressed. He’s booed, and that’s normal, but he is respected in this country.”
Vini and company will next play Barcelona in the season’s first Clasico. Ancelotti’s team will tie their top-seeded rivals in LaLiga on points if they win at the Bernabeu.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.