Vinicius And Real Madrid Out To Prove Themselves The Best After Snub

After the disappointment of the Ballon d’Or, Los Blancos are looking to see recognition for a number of their stars including Vini, Bellingham and Mbappé.

Real Madrid is eyeing a golden opportunity to heal the sting left by the Ballon d’Or. The FIFA The Best Awards for 2024, which honor performances across the calendar year, could serve as the perfect salve. This year’s lineup of nominees includes Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos (in retirement), and Kylian Mbappé, who split his year between Paris Saint-Germain and Madrid. However, looming over them all is the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, Rodri. His stellar UEFA Euro campaign adds weight to his candidacy, posing a formidable challenge to Vinicius.

Why Real Madrid sees The Best Awards as “fairer”

Unlike the Ballon d’Or, which relies on votes from journalists in the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations, The Best Awards utilize a four-pronged voting system. Equal weight (25%) is given to fan votes via FIFA.com (open until December 10), national team captains, national team coaches, and specialized journalists. This democratized approach resonates with Real Madrid, whose leadership has expressed dissatisfaction with the Ballon d’Or process, particularly after Vinicius and the club were conspicuously absent from October’s Paris ceremony.

Florentino Pérez, the club’s president, even highlighted this grievance in his speech to Madrid’s Assembly, criticizing the Ballon d’Or’s opaque voting system and perceived biases. For Real Madrid, The Best represents not just a chance for recognition but a way to make peace after what many at the club saw as an unjust snub.

Vinicius, often the face of Madrid’s attack, stands as the club’s best hope for individual glory. After being overshadowed by Rodri at the Ballon d’Or, securing The Best would be a significant personal triumph. Winning this award would also mark a shift in recent trends: since 2020, only Lionel Messi has managed to win both honors in the same year, with The Best often diverging from the Ballon d’Or.

Rodri’s historic opportunity

For Rodri, this is more than an award—it’s a chance to make history. If victorious, he would become the first Spanish-born player to win The Best since its inception in 2016. In fact, no Spanish player has even reached the podium as a finalist, making his candidacy particularly groundbreaking.

The Manchester City midfielder’s standout performances at the Euros cement his status as a frontrunner, but he’ll need to outshine competitors like Vini, Messi, Haaland, and rising star Lamine Yamal, who continues to dazzle in his meteoric career.

Coaching showdown: Ancelotti vs De la Fuente

The Best Awards also pit Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti against Spain’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente for the title of Best Coach of 2024. Ancelotti, renowned for his tactical prowess, faces stiff competition from De la Fuente, whose tenure with Spain has seen notable success.

This battle between club and country adds yet another layer of intrigue to the ceremony.

When are the FIFA Best Awards 2024?

While for some the anticipation is palpable, and others couldn’t care less, FIFA has yet to announce the date for The Best Awards ceremony 2024. With tensions running high and stakes even higher, fans worldwide will soon find out whether Real Madrid’s stars—and its manager—can rewrite the narrative and bring home the recognition they feel they’ve earned.

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