'Unfair' - Ronaldo backs Vinicius Jr, criticises Ballon d'Or decision

Vinicius Jr has rounded off 2024 by adding two more individual accolades to his name. The Brazilian, who finished second in the Ballon d'Or and won FIFA's The Best award, was crowned Best Forward and Best Player of the Year at the Globe Soccer Awards, held in Dubai.

The Brazilian star has been the talk of the football world, with even Cristiano Ronaldo weighing in on his achievements. The Portuguese legend, named Best Player in the Middle East and recognised as the all-time top scorer, publicly stated that Vinicius deserved to win the Ballon d’Or.

"Vinicius deserved it. It was unfair. I’m saying this in front of everyone," Ronaldo declared. "They gave it to Rodri, who also deserved it, but I think it should have gone to Vinicius. He won the Champions League and scored in the final."

Ronaldo's remarks were direct and heartfelt. "Other things don’t matter to me. When someone deserves it, the winner should be chosen fairly. At those ceremonies, they always do the same thing. That's why I trust the Globe Soccer Awards, because they are honest," added the Al-Nassr forward.

Shortly after, as Vinicius accepted his trophy for Best Player of 2024, he responded to Ronaldo's words of praise. "If he says I’m the best player, then I'll believe I'm the best. He's my idol, alongside Neymar," the Real Madrid star said with gratitude.