Real Madrid President Florentino Perez launched into an impassioned tirade about why Vinicius Junior should have been the Ballon d’Or winner this year, with the Brazilian beaten out by Manchester City’s Rodri Hernandez. Perez argued that journalists from Finland, Namibia, Albania and Uganda should not have a vote.
“If the journalists from Uganda, Albania, Namibia and Finland hadn’t voted, Vinícius would’ve won the Ballon d’Or. Nobody even knows who they are,” Perez laughed on stage in front of Real Madrid’s delegate members. He received a round of applause for his statement.
Finnish journalist Juha Kanerva apologised for leaving the Brazilian out of his top 10 selections, and resigned from voting duties in the aftermath after significant online abuse from Real Madrid fans. However his Namibian counterpart Sheefeni Nicodemus has responded to Perez.
“Basically I suspect these are the words of someone who is frustrated,” he told Cadena SER, as recounted by Relevo. “Mr. Perez feels that the people of my country and the other countries mentioned do not have a meaningful vote because we are inferior people. I would just like to know if I were from the major football nations and did not agree with his opinion, what would be his argument?”
Perez would also go on to insinuate that UEFA had something to do with the result, noting that it was the first year that they had co-organised the event with France Football, and the voting system had changed. The Real Madrid President signalled that under the previous system Vinicius would have won, but Relevo also highlight that this is not true.
The system used this year allowed journalists to vote for 10 players, giving them 15, 12, 10, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point. Under that voting system Rodri managed 1,170 points, ahead of Vinicius’ 1,129 points. Under the previous system, journalists awarded 5 players 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point, which would still have given a margin of 31 to Rodri, with the Spain midfielder earning 420 points, and Vinicius 389.
Its called vote buying. Approach small, insignificant countries with bribes in exchange for votes. This has been going on for years with the World Cup venue voting… Qatar notably bought out tiny countries with almost no football participation (or interest) and won the right to host that WC a few years ago.
This was the technique that UEFA and French Football deployed to ensure that no Real Madrid footballer would lift the Ballon D’or.
They do it because there is no accountability, investigation or audits. Football all around the world is a closed organisation (FIFA, UEFA)… they make and change rules to fit an outcome – and this time around they wanted to humiliate Real Madrid by “leaking” Vini as the winner and then manipulating the votes to make Rodri win (seriously – Rodri was neither the best player in MCity nor the EPL… and over Kroos?).
Its all rigged as a punishment for Real Madrid for opposing EUFA (super League) and taking MBappe. Vini just paid the price.
Yeah, we know these tactics. Real Madrid are the masters of them.
Let’s try not to act so stupid and foolish here. Rodri was the deserved winner of the ballon d’or. He was the best player for city. I mean, open your eyes and see well, look how city is stumbling without him. Look at how spain isn’t performin at their levels of the euros. This is what happens when your missin the world’s best player. It affects your game. Unlike vini where by he was present during the clasico and its like he was absent or can’t really help brazil as expected. Trash of a player. Never bring him up again.
hate or not vin the best in the world
hate or not vin the best in the world
I can’t believe Madrid are still whining about this.
First off, Vini isn’t even close to being the best player in the world, despite the club’s incessant hype. Second, sportsmanship is a part of the award and he’s one of the biggest crybabies in world football.
Respect begets respect; neither Vini nor his club are showing that they have any, so they shouldn’t be expecting any until that changes.