Brazil and Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior has been tipped as odds-on favourite to be the 2024 Ballon d’Or award.
This is according to a Ballon d’Or ranking compiled by Football365.
Vinicius played a key role as Real Madrid landed the LaLiga title as well as the UEFA Champions League.
The winger was on target in the final as he netted Madrid’s second goal in the 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund inside Wembley stadium.
Football365 believes that if Brazil emerge champions of Copa America, Vinicius will be the clear favourite to take over from current holder of the award, Lionel Messi.
Vinicius will hope his Brazilian teammates does the business against Uruguay in the quarter-finals in his absence as he will miss the encounter due to card suspension.
Another player listed in the Ballon d’Or ranking and will have a huge say where the award will head is Madrid and England forward Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham had a wonderful start to life in Madrid which meant he was the early frontrunner to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
A Champions League trophy with Madrid and Euro 2024 with England could yet do the trick for the former Borussia Dortmund star.
Unfortunately, he was not at his best against Manchester City and Bayern Munich and wasn’t the star attraction in the final despite setting up Vinicius for Madrid’s second goal.
Another Madrid player included in the ranking is Germany midfielder Toni Kroos.
The midfield star will retire from professional football at the end of the European Championship.
He already has the LaLiga and Champions League trophies in the bag and could crown it all with the Euros.
Listed also for the Ballon d’Or award is France and Madrid new signing Kylian Mbappe.
Six times Mbappe has been in the top 10 but 2023 marked his first time on the podium behind Messi and Haaland.
Realistically he now needs to win the Euros with France after ultimately failing in the Champions League with PSG.
Meanwhile, other players Football365 included in their ranking for the award are Harry Kane, Rodri, Phil Foden, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Florian Wirtz.
