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Real Madrid’s cries are enough to counterbalance Uncle Carlo’s affection
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Real Madrid’s cries are enough to counterbalance Uncle Carlo’s affection

After it was revealed that Vinicius Junior would receive a metaphorical slap in the face so outrageous that he would simply be named the second best player in the world by the Ballon d’Or jury earlier this week, Real Madrid boycotted the award ceremony prices. .

“If the award criteria do not give Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should name Carvajal as the winner,” shouted Los Blancos, seemingly convinced that the admittedly frightening dominance they hold over the European Cup should be extended to the Ballon d’Or as a right.

“As this was not the case, it is clear that the Ballon d’Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid.”

The most blatant act of disrespect displayed throughout the entire debacle surrounding the overly publicized individual gong was that shown by Madrid to the winner, Manchester City’s Rodri. Nobody wants to oppose a team led by cuddly Uncle Carlo, the game’s most likeable gaffer, but Real’s legitimate whining is enough to outweigh Ancelotti’s approval rating.

Is Vinicius the best player in the world? Maybe. In early accounts of the post-Messi and Ronaldo era, no player has yet fully grasped the role of being the best in the game. That’s pretty much how it was before the arrival of the two rivals megastars; players would often rise to first place but only stay there for a short time, with the world’s best relay passing faster than the Jamaican 4×100 relay team. In the 1990s, this played out between Baggio , Romario, Weah, Ronaldo, Zidane and Rivaldo without anyone hanging on to the mantle for well over 18 months.

Right now, there are a handful of players vying for the distinction of being considered No.1, a pack that includes Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Rodri, Danny Welbeck and a few others. Vinicius is certainly one of them. He may even be the favorite, but he is not so far ahead of the others that him being voted a Ballon d’Or finalist constitutes a grave injustice.

MORE ON F365’S GOLDEN BALL:
Who will win the 2025 Ballon d’Or? Real Madrid trio among five favorites despite boycott
Real Madrid legend slams boring Ballon d’Or winner Rodri for being just a ‘good player’
Man City star Rodri wins Ballon d’Or as Real Madrid boycotters finish 2nd, 3rd and 4th

And besides, the Ballon d’Or does not necessarily crown the best player in the world, but rather aims to reward the player who has had the best year within the game’s elite. If it had been awarded to the best player every year, Messi would have won at least 13, instead of his measly eight.

It’s a point Madrid seem to recognize by saying that, if it wasn’t Vinicius, then Dani Carvajal should have won. It’s such a stupid argument that it doesn’t deserve a riposte, but here’s one anyway: Yes, Carvajal played on the teams that won arguably the two most important trophies of the past year, the Liga Champions and the European Championship; no, he wasn’t among the five most important players on either side.

Vinicius has had an excellent season both individually and collectively, winning La Liga and the Champions League while scoring 24 goals and registering 11 assists in all competitions. But he was not considered the best player of the last La Liga season; This prize was awarded to Jude Bellingham, his Real teammate and third place Ballon d’Or winner.

Rodri was Spain’s best player at the Euros, named player of the tournament despite limping out of the final with a serious knee injury. And before that, he was City’s most important player as they cruised to an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title. The nature of his position means his stats don’t look as convincing as Vincius’, but it’s fair to suggest his defeat against City is more significant than the Brazilian’s long-term absence against Madrid would be.

And as impressive as Vinicius’ numbers are – and perhaps any cold analysis of such output has been distorted by the peak Messi-Ronaldo years – 35 goals in total for the key striker at one of the clubs the most talent-rich and attack-oriented teams in the world. Europe is not a return that knocks you out of your seat.

It is also a historical fact that during major international competitions, the destination of the Ballon d’Or is often determined by the performances of the best players in those competitions – from Lothar Matthaus in 1990, Zidane in 1998 and Ronaldo in 2002 to the other Ronaldo when he valiantly coached Portugal to Euro glory in 2016, Luka Modric after taking Croatia to the World Cup final in 2018 and Messi last year, when the voting period encompassed the 2022 World Cup.

Despite how much Rio Ferdinand tried to make Vinicius’ Ballon d’Or exist as he watched him score in the Champions League final, the Madrid star probably still needed to follow up on that moment with a standout performance at the Copa America this summer. to make his case unassailable. And he didn’t.

There’s really nothing more to see here than one deserving winner getting the better of another. The cries of the pantomime provoke yawning.

“Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected,” the club said in a statement.

Well, if the collective looks that greeted Madrid’s crisis are to be believed, the 15-time European champions won’t be venturing outside the Bernabeu anytime soon.