Vinicius is currently the frontrunner to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or, marking a potential first in his career.
Real Madrid’s standout player, Vinicius Junior, has shared how Ronaldo Nazario has played a key role in helping him surpass Jude Bellingham in the race for the Ballon d’Or.
Both Vinicius and Bellingham are chasing their first Ballon d’Or, with the award having been dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the past 15 years.
With Ronaldo not even making the nomination list in 2023, Messi claimed victory after leading Argentina to win the 2022 World Cup.
However, Messi’s chances of winning this time seem less certain.
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Vinicius contributed to Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final in June by scoring the team’s second goal ….
Continue ReadingLast season, he achieved a personal best, netting 24 goals across all competitions and adding 10 assists.
Now, the Brazilian forward is the leading candidate to win this year’s Ballon d’Or, ahead of Manchester City’s Rodri and his Real Madrid teammate Bellingham.
In a recent interview with CNN, Vinicius discussed how Ronaldo Nazario, a legendary figure at Real Madrid, has helped him gain an edge in the competition for the coveted award.
He explained: “I was with Ronaldo just now when I was in Ibiza and trained at his house, and he told me: ‘Train here a few more days, so you are closer to the Ballon d’Or’.
“They are players who did incredible things, and to be able to compete for the Ballon d’Or and to win an award that they won, that would be something really incredible.”
Brazilian football icon Ronaldo claimed the Ballon d’Or twice during his career.
While he was playing for Inter Milan when he won the award in 1997, he had spent the first half of that year at Barcelona.
His second Ballon d’Or came in 2002 after he had joined Real Madrid from Inter, following his triumph in the 2002 World Cup.
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