Big favorite for the final victory, Vinicius Junior finally finished in second place behind the Manchester City midfielder.
At the Globe Soccer Awards ceremony in Dubai, Cristiano Ronaldo reacted to Rodri’s success and the controversy surrounding Vinicius Junior. For him, the Brazilian should have won the trophy last October but the Portuguese takes nothing away from Rodri’s coronation.
“ I like to compete against young people. It’s motivation. I like to be compared to them, their speed, their shooting, even their form. They’re not in better shape than me…it’s a joke. Bellingham, Lamine, Vinicius… They are fantastic,” he declared.
Before adding more about Vinicius: “Vini had to win the Ballon d’Or, it was unfair in my opinion and I say it here in front of everyone. They gave it to Rodrigo, who deserved it too, but I think Vinicius should have won. He won the Champions League and scored in the final. When someone deserves it, you have to give it to them. You know, these galas always do the same thing, that’s why I love the Globe Soccer Awards, they have to keep doing this gala which is honest. »
Cristiano Ronaldo has long privatized the trophy with Lionel Messi from 2008 to 2021. The Portuguese is the second most successful player in the exercise with his 5 successes. The Argentinian is the record holder with 8 titles.
