Rodrygo may have had a remarkable season, punctuated in particular by Champions League and La Liga titles with Real Madrid, but that was not enough to secure him a place among the 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or.
The Brazilian striker, a pillar of the Madrid dressing room, is coming off an impressive season with 17 goals and 9 assists in 51 games, including two crucial goals in the quarter-finals first leg and second leg against Manchester City (3-3, 1-1, 3-4 draw) in the Champions League. Rodrygo’s absence from this prestigious list has left Marcelo, former left-back of the Merengues, perplexed.
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“Rodrygo who is not nominated for the Ballon d’Or? I don’t understand. For me, Rodrygo is at least in the top 15 or top 10 in the world,” Marcelo told TNT Sports. An opinion shared by Neymar, the Brazilian star, who declared on Instagram: “At least top 5 in the world, a crack”, accompanying his message with a photo of Rodrygo in the Seleção jersey.
Marcelo also gave his prediction as to who will succeed Lionel Messi for the Ballon d’Or: “I think they will give it to Vinícius Jr.”