Real Madrid have cancelled their delegation’s plans to
attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday at the last minute as the
club understand that their Brazil forward Vinicius Jr will not win the award,
soccer sources told Reuters.
Bookmakers had 24-year-old Vinicius Jr, the Champions
League player of the year, as the heavy odds-on favourite to claim his first
Ballon d’Or, which is presented to the best player in the world, ahead of
Manchester City’s Spain midfielder Rodri, 28, and Real’s England international
Jude Bellingham.
Vinicius Jr helped Real to a Champions League-LaLiga
double last term along with 21-year-old Bellingham, who was named LaLiga MVP
after scoring a career best 19 goals in a sparkling debut campaign and helping
England reach the Euro 2024 final.
Rodri, who City manager Pep Guardiola has called “the
best midfielder in the world”, was instrumental in helping his team win an
unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League trophy last season and was
named best player at this year’s European Championship after Spain lifted a
record-extending fourth title.
Real and France Football, which organises the Ballon
d’Or awards, were not immediately available to comment.
The awards are based on voting by a panel of
journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries.
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