Vinicius Jr, the Real Madrid star, believes that his vocal struggle against racism cost him the Ballon d’Or.
The Brazilian winger was beaten out by Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, with Real Madrid colleague Jude Bellingham coming in third place.
The Spanish giants made headlines prior to Tuesday’s celebration in Paris, when it was rumored that players and coaches had chosen to boycott the ceremony after learning Vinicius Jr would not be receiving the top prize.
The 24-year-old took to social media after he was confirmed as the runner-up, writing on X: “I will do it 10 times if I have to. They’re not ready.”
According to Reuters, this comment was in relation to his current struggle against racism.
“The football world is not ready to accept a player who fights against the system,” A member of the Brazilian winger’s management staff is quoted by the outlet as saying.
Vinicius has been at the centre of concerns about racism in sports, having been subjected to abuse on at least 16 occasions in recent years. Last month, he proposed that Spain should not host the World Cup in 2030 until something is done about the situation.
LaLiga president Javier Tebas promptly criticized his remarks, calling them ‘incoherent’.
“I think that, if you look, you will see that his statements were not entirely consistent with what he himself says in the interview.’ He told Football Espana. ‘At the same time that he was saying that perhaps the World Cup should be re-considered, he was also saying that Spain is not a racist country.
“Let’s remove what is incoherent and keep what is coherent: that Spain is not a racist country, and on that I agree with Vinicius.”
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli