Vinicius Jr helped Real Madrid to a LaLiga-Champions League double
He and Madrid snubbed the Ballon d'Or ceremony after Rodri's win was leaked
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By MICHAEL PAVITT
Published: 17:59 EST, 17 December 2024 | Updated: 18:00 EST, 17 December 2024
Vinicius Jr earned the backing of the majority of national team captain for the FIFA Best men's player award, after the Real Madrid star claimed the honour.
The Brazilian forward was controversially overlooked for the Ballon d'Or in October, when Manchester City's Rodri got the nod after winning the Premier League and the Euros with Spain.
But Vinicius, who won LaLiga and the Champions League with Madrid last season, won FIFA's Best award this time, and was in Qatar to pick up his gong from Gianni Infantino.
Vinicius beat Rodri by five scoring points, having got 48 votes to Rodri's 43.
Vinicius' Madrid team-mate Jude Bellingham took third spot with 37, while another Los Blancos player, Dani Carvajal, was fourth on 31.
Votes were cast by national team captains, coaches, media representatives and fans, with their top three receiving five points, three points or one point respectively.
Vinicius Junior was named as the winner of the FIFA Best player award in Qatar's capital Doha
The Brazilian was instrumental in Real Madrid's successes at home and on the continent
The Real Madrid star recently missed out on winning the Ballon d'Or to Man City's Rodri
The nominated players then scored between one to 13 points depending on their final position in each jury group.
Vinicius was the overwhelming winner of the captain's vote, receiving 617 points to Rodri's total of 373.
Vinicius was backed by Real Madrid team-mates Luka Modric and David Alaba, the captain’s of the Croatia and Austria national teams, with the pair selecting him as their first choice.
Brazil captain Danilo also opted for his international team-mate as his first choice, with Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal completing his selection.
Egypt captain Mohamed Salah opted for Vinicius ahead of Rodri and Real Madrid and Spain defender Dani Carvajal, while Liverpool and Netherlands skipper picked the Brazilian star in front of Erling Haaland and Rodri.
Arsenal and Norway captain Martin Odegaard named Vinicius as his first choice, before casting his second and third place votes to Man City duo Rodri and Haaland.
By contrast, England captain Harry Kane named Rodri as his first choice for the annual FIFA honour.
Kane gave his three points to Three Lions’ team-mate Bellingham, while Vinicius received his one point.
Luka Modric, left, selected his Real Madrid team-mate as his first choice selection in the vote
Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk both selected Vinicius as their first choice
England captain Harry Kane opted for a top three of Rodri, Bellingham and Vinicius
Ex-England interim boss Lee Carsley selected Jude Bellingham as his first choice selection
Tottenham and South Korea skipper Son Heung-min also voted in favour of Rodri, with Vinicius and Carvajal completing his top three.
Portugal's captain vote was cast by Bernardo Silva, despite Cristiano Ronaldo being skipper of the national team, with the Man City star voting Rodri, Vinicius and Haaland as his top three.
Man United defender Victor Lindelof, Sweden's captain, voted for the same trio.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi, a three-time winner of the award, named Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius as his top three.
Despite winning the Ballon d'Or, Rodri was not the first choice selection of either Spain's captain Alvaro Morata or head coach Luis de la Fuente.
Morata and De la Fuente both went with an all-Spanish top three of Carvajal, Rodri and Yamal.
Rodri was favoured overall by coaches than Vinicius, with the Spanish midfielder earning 461 points to the forward’s 438.
England's coach vote was cast by interim boss Lee Carsley, who selected Bellingham, Rodri and Yamal as his top three.
Rodri also edged Vinicius in the media vote receiving 543 points to 538, but the Brazilian dominated the fan vote by claiming 1.1million points to the Man City star’s 264,835.