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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti believes Vinicius Junior deserves to win the 2024 FIFA The Best Men's Player award. He hailed the Brazilian forward as a fantastic player and hopes that he's the winner.
Vinicius was touted as the frontrunner for the 2024 Ballon d'Or after an excellent campaign last season. He played a crucial role for Los Blancos in their La Liga and Champions League double, contributing 24 goals and 11 assists across all competitions. However, Vinicius lost out to Rodri, who won the Premier League with Manchester City and the Euro 2024 with Spain.
With the year coming to a close, The Best FIFA Football Awards 2024 is set to take place on Tuesday evening (December 17). Reports have emerged ahead of the ceremony that Vinicius will take home the award.
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Speaking ahead of Real Madrid's FIFA Intercontinental Cup final against Mexican club Pachuca on Wednesday (December 18), Ancelotti was asked about the rumors.
The former Chelsea boss said (as quoted by Madrid Universal):
“He deserves it. He’s a fantastic player and it would be a fair award after what he did in 2024. I hope he wins it.”
Vinicius has scored 13 goals and provided nine assists for Real Madrid in 20 matches across competitions so far this season.
"That’s a tough question" - Carlo Ancelotti offers response when asked whether he's lost control at Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti insists that he remains in control of things at the Bernabeu after Real Madrid's underwhelming start to the season.
After their emphatic double last term, Los Blancos have struggled to maintain their stellar form, especially in Europe. Madrid have almost closed the gap to Barcelona in the league after they dropped points against CD Leganes and Real Betis.
They are a point behind the league leaders and Atletico Madrid in third. Meanwhile, Real Madrid are 20th in the Champions League standings, having secured only nine points from six games.
When asked whether he's lost control of the club, Ancelotti said in the aforementioned press conference:
“You ask me if I have lost control (laughs). That’s a tough question. I haven’t lost it, of course not. In football you go through difficult moments, it has always happened. Sometimes they come in October-November and sometimes in April-May."
"The important thing is to be there, to keep going. If it happens in October-November, you can still salvage it and we are doing that. I am sure we will be very competitive in the second part of the season. I can assure you that I have not lost control.”
