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There was a meltdown of insane proportions online on Monday afternoon after it emerged that Vinicius Junior, after months of speculation, would not win the 2024 Ballon d'Or award.
Real Madrid withdrew its sizable delegation and lofty plans to cover the Paris ceremony, sending out a clear sign that the Golden Ball won't be returning to the Bernabeu. And true to the signs, an injured and emotional Rodri was announced as the winner of the award in front of distinguished guests at the Théâtre du Châtelet.
Following Vinicius Junior's snub, a section of fans have branded the award 'a farce' and 'robbery,' among many other things. The decision reawakened the conversation about what exactly the voters look at.
100 Journalists from FIFA's top 100 ranked nations select their top 10 winners from a list of 30 nominees. As explained on UEFA's website, the ten selected players are awarded 15, 12, 10, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point, respectively. The points are then collated, and the player with the most points wins the award.
Given that it is voting, the process is as subjective as it gets. A journalist from a particular country can easily disregard the favorites and vote for his compatriot.
The last time Rodri lost a Premier League was in February 2023. Pep Guardiola's side struggled to cope without him every time he was absent. He made the champions tick en route to their historic fourth crown. Afterwards, he headed to Germany and replicated the same performance with Spain, winning the title and Euro's Most Valuable Player.
The 28-year-old also chipped in with 12 goals and 15 assists, which for a defensive midfielder is impressive.
On the flipside, Vinicius Junior was the star of Real Madrid's Champions League run. He also won La Liga, but his teammate Jude Bellingham was awarded the league's MVP. His struggles with Brazil at Copa America did not do him any favors.
In the end, a majority of voters seemingly decided that Rodri had done enough for the club and country compared to the former Flamengo star.
Rodri's performances helped his sides to the Super Cup, Premier League and Euro 2024, while Vinicius Junior won the Champions League, La Liga and Supercopa Espana.
