MADRID: Vinicius Jr's remarkable performances at Real Madrid have put the 24-year-old forward as the odds-on favourite to claim his first Ballon d'Or when the award for the best player in the world is announced in Paris on Monday.
Vinicius scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 appearances that were key to help the Spanish powerhouse to a near perfect 2023-24 campaign in which they reclaimed the La Liga title and grabbed a record-extending 15th European Cup. The Brazilian scored in the Champions League final and was named as the competition's best player.
Bookmakers backed Vinicius to win the award ahead of Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Englishman Jude Bellingham.
He is aiming to become the first Brazilian since Kaka in 2007 to win the award and just the third person not named Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to claim it since 2008.
This will be the first time since 2003 in which neither Messi nor Ronaldo made the final 30-man list of nominees.
Portugal's Ronaldo, who has won the award five times, also failed to receive a nomination last year after moving to Saudi Arabia. Messi, who won for a record eighth time in 2023, missed out despite Argentina's Copa America triumph.
Previous winners Luka Modric (2018) and Karim Benzema (2022) are also not in France Football's shortlist.
Vinicius' closest challenger appears to be Rodri, the player Pep Guardiola said is "the best midfielder in the world."
Rodri was instrumental in helping City win their fourth consecutive Premier League trophy and was named the best player at this year's European Championship after helping Spain lift a record-extending fourth title.
Bellingham was named La Liga MVP after scoring a career best 19 goals in a sparkling debut campaign and helping England reach the Euro 2024 final.
However, despite a lacklustre Copa America campaign with struggling Brazil, Vinicius' stellar performances in the Champions League have put him in pole-position.
He became the first Brazilian to score in two Champions League finals, having scored the only goal in the 2022 final against Liverpool and again this year in the 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund.
In the women's Ballon d'Or Feminin, Champions League winners Barcelona have six nominees in total, including last year's winner Aitana Bonmati and two-time winner Alexia Putellas. - REUTERS