Former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has accepted that Vinicius Junior was affected by missing out on the 2024 Ballon d’Or, but hailed the Brazilian’s character while predicting bigger and better things for the forward.
The penetrative force at the tip of a Real Madrid attack which won La Liga and the Champions League in 2024 was the nailed-on favorite to lift that year’s Ballon d’Or. After Vinicius scored a hat-trick against Borussia Dortmund six days before the grand ceremony in Paris, the Santiago Bernabéu chanted: “Ballon d’Or, Vinicius Ballon d’Or.”
Yet, when it came to the event, Manchester City midfielder Rodri was crowned the best player in the world.
Rumors of this shocking outcome surfaced on the day of the ceremony, which Vinicius and the entire Real Madrid squad boycotted in protest. In the immediate aftermath of the award, the 25-year-old posted on social media: “I’ll do 10x if I have to. They’re not prepared.”
Over the subsequent 12 months, Vinicius has actually endured a dip in form rather than any explosive improvement in end product.
Vinicius Before and After 2024 Ballon d’Or Ceremony
Stats via FBref.
The arrival of Kylian Mbappé in the summer of 2024, a player best suited to Vinicius’s left wing who inherently took the ball away from his new teammate, helps explain the sharp drop off. Yet Ancelotti has revealed that the snub from those at France Football did play its part.
“It might have affected him a little,” the Italian coach, who managed Vinicius before and after the Ballon d’Or debacle, told AS. “But now Vini is close to his best form. He’s playing very well and is proving decisive.
“Vini has a strong character; he doesn’t dwell too much on his mistakes or the criticism he receives. He looks ahead very quickly. I’m sure Vini will arrive at the World Cup in top condition.”
Ancelotti: Vini Is Top Class
On either side of the Ballon d’Or snub, Vinicius has struggled to reproduce his best club form for Brazil. The winger boasts just eight goals in 43 caps for the Seleção. Richarlison, for comparison, can’t match his compatriot’s output at club level yet has already amassed 20 international goals.
Now installed as Brazil’s national team manager, one of Ancelotti’s top tasks is getting the best out of Vinicius. In that same AS interview, the 66-year-old tactician admitted: “It’s true. With the national team, he [Vinicius] hasn’t been able to reach the level he usually has at Real Madrid.”
However, Ancelotti is hopeful that Vinicius’s inherent quality will shine through, especially after his success in a fluid front four which worked well during October’s international break. “In these last few matches, he has improved and has done very well with the Seleção, scoring goals and providing assists,” the manager argued. “Nobody can dispute his qualities. Vini is top class.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Carlo Ancelotti Reveals How Ballon d’Or Snub Affected Vinicius Jr.
