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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) manager Luis Enrique has backed Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior to win the 2024 Ballon d'Or. The former Barcelona manager, however, insisted that he is not the biggest fan of individual awards.
Enrique, who played for Barcelona and Real Madrid, claimed that individual awards are more about marketing. The Spaniard said he values team success more than any individual award.
He told TNT Sports Brazil via PSG Talk:
“Who’s going to win it? Do you guys know? I hope it’s Vinícius Júnior, a Brazilian. He’d deserve it, for sure. But honestly, as a coach, I don’t really care much about these individual awards. I don’t believe in them at all."
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“They’re just part of the marketing. Yeah, they recognize a player who’s done well, scored a lot, and won titles, but without the team, a player is nothing. So, congrats to whoever wins, whether it’s Vinícius or someone else, but I’ll always value the team more,” Enrique added.
Vinicius Junior is among the favorites to win the 2024 Ballon d'Or for his exploits with Real Madrid last season. The Brazil international scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 games across competitions, helping Los Blancos win the La Liga title and the Champions League.
Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham is touted as another strong candidate for the 2024 Ballon d'Or. The Englishman also played a pivotal role in Real Madrid's success, contributing 23 goals and 13 assists in 42 appearances in all competitions last season.
Real Madrid attacker to be awarded the 2024 Ballon d'Or this month - Reports
Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior will reportedly be handed the 2024 Ballon d'Or later this month. As claimed by Diario AS via CentreGoals, the 24-year-old is set to beat 29 other candidates for the most prestigious individual award in football.
The nominees were announced on September 4, 2024, with as many as seven Real Madrid stars named in the list. However, Vinicius has been touted as the standout candidate for the award.
Fellow Real Madrid stars Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, and Dani Carvajal are also understood to be in the running for the award. For the first time since 2003, neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi were included among the nominees.
