Vinicius Junior Wins The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award For 2024

Vinicius Junior has been crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Player for 2024, marking the pinnacle of an exceptional year for the Real Madrid and Brazil winger despite being controversially overlooked for the Ballon d’Or in October.

The 24-year-old played a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s successful campaign, helping the club secure both the Champions League and La Liga titles. During the 2023/24 season, Vinicius netted 24 goals across all competitions, including a standout performance in the Champions League final, where he scored the decisive second goal in a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund.

This triumph secured Los Blancos their record-extending 15th Champions League title.

This is the first time Vinicius has won the award since its inception in 2016, making him the only Brazilian recipient to date. Neymar previously came closest in 2017, finishing third. Other Real Madrid players to have claimed the honour include Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, with Lionel Messi the most recent winner in 2023.

Despite the stiff competition for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, Vinicius stood out among a talented pool of nominees. Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who claimed the 2024 Ballon d’Or, was among those who missed out on the FIFA honour.

Other notable contenders included Rodri’s teammate Erling Haaland and a strong Real Madrid contingent comprising Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Dani Carvajal, Federico Valverde, and retired veteran Toni Kroos.

In other FIFA accolades for 2024, Emiliano Martinez was named The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper, Alejandro Garnacho claimed the FIFA Puskas Award, Carlo Ancelotti earned The Best FIFA Men’s Coach accolade, and Aitana Bonmati was celebrated as The Best FIFA Women’s Player.

Faridah Abdulkadiri

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