Manchester United legend Gary Neville in a recent development surrounding the 2024 Ballon d'Or awards has criticized Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr for his reaction to losing the prestigious accolade to Manchester City's Rodri.
Neville described Vinicius's behavior as "classless" and "outrageous," accusing the Brazilian forward of disrespecting his rival. Vinicius Jr, who was a strong favorite for the award after a stellar season with Real Madrid, was reportedly devastated by the outcome and chose not to attend the ceremony in Paris as a form of protest.
The decision by Real Madrid to boycott the event was seen as a statement against the voting process, which they believed unfairly overlooked Vinicius. The club had been informed prior to the ceremony that their star player had not topped the voting, leading to their absence from the event where they were also set to receive the Men’s Club of the Year award.
Neville expressed his disappointment at Vinicius's response, suggesting that he should have shown more sportsmanship by attending the ceremony and congratulating Rodri. He emphasized that Rodri, who played a crucial role in Manchester City's Premier League victory and Spain's Euro 2024 triumph, was a deserving winner.
Neville praised Rodri as "the best midfield player in the world by a mile at this moment in time," highlighting his consistency and influence on both club and international levels.
Despite the controversy, Neville remained firm in his belief that Rodri's win was justified, stating, "The Ballon d’Or isn’t about the most skilful and talented, in my opinion, it’s about the best player and most important player and I think that is Rodri."
He urged Vinicius to handle the disappointment with dignity and to recognize Rodri's achievements, suggesting that such an approach would reflect true class.
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