FIFA President Gianni Infantino has emphasized that FIFA alone holds the authority and expertise to determine who is recognized as the world’s best player. Infantino’s remarks during the 2024 FIFA The Best Awards ceremony on Tuesday night appeared to serve as a pointed critique of the Ballon d’Or.
Infantino argued that FIFA, as the governing body of football, should take the lead in deciding the top player, highlighting its robust and transparent voting system as key to ensuring fairness in the selection process.
The Ballon d’Or and FIFA The Best awards are two of football’s most prestigious individual honors, both celebrating exceptional talent and achievement in the sport.
A standout moment from the ceremony was when Vinicius Junior, the dynamic winger from Real Madrid, was crowned FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year for 2024.
Following the announcement, Brazilian football legend Ronaldo de Lima took to social media to share his thoughts on Vinicius Junior’s achievement. In his post, Ronaldo declared, “The best player in the world is Black and Brazilian,” offering his full support for Vinicius and addressing the broader conversation around representation in football.
Ronaldo also referenced the challenges Vinicius has faced, stating, “They tried to erase you, my friend, and you danced on them.”
Vinicius’ win came after a disappointing result at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in October, where he was narrowly edged out by Manchester City’s Rodri. In protest of what they perceived as an unfair decision, Vinicius and the entire Real Madrid delegation chose to boycott the Ballon d’Or ceremony, declining to attend a celebration they felt didn’t fully recognize his outstanding performance.
