Fresh off claiming the FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year award, Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr. took aim at his critics, declaring that they “continue to try to cancel me, to belittle me.” The Brazilian international’s triumph comes after he and his club boycotted the Ballon d’Or ceremony in October, where he missed out on the top prize to Manchester City’s Rodri.
Vinicius Jr., who has been subjected to repeated racial abuse in La Liga over the past two seasons, enjoyed a stellar 2023-24 campaign, scoring a career-high 24 goals and playing a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s Champions League and La Liga triumphs.
In a defiant Instagram post, the 24-year-old celebrated his victory, stating: “I came, I saw, I won. Today I write this for that boy who saw so many idols lift that trophy…your time has come. That is, my time has come. The time to state that, yes, I am the best player in the world and I fought a lot to get here.”
He went on to address those who have attempted to undermine him, saying: “They tried and continue to try to cancel me, to belittle me. But they’re not able to. Nobody is going to tell me for whom I can fight, or how I should behave.”
Vinicius Jr.’s victory at the FIFA Best Awards marks his first individual accolade from world football’s governing body. The award recognizes the most outstanding performers in men’s football from August 2023 to August 2024 and is decided by a combination of votes from national team captains and coaches, journalists, and fans.
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