Hand Vinicius Junior the Ballon d'Or now - he deserves it

Football's most coveted award, the Ballon d'Or, is set to be handed to the best male player in the world on 28 October and Vinicius Junior has already submitted his case as its worthy winner.

The Real Madrid star is among the favourites to lift the trophy in Paris at the end of the month, with Rodri and Jude Bellingham in contention. However, Vinicius' achievements from the 2023/24 campaign just outshine his superstar counterparts and lead to him winning the award.

Vinicius, of course, won both the La Liga title and Champions League trophy last season, and the Brazilian was at the heart of everything good about Madrid - netting 24 goals in 39 appearances across the campaign.

For a natural left-winger, that's a pretty damn impressive return.

He's already found the back of the net eight times this season in just 14 appearances, netting a hat-trick in Tuesday's Champions League victory over last year's finalists Borussia Dortmund. While this season's achievements shouldn't impact the Ballon d'Or winner this year, it's impossible to overlook his immense performances.

The Ballon d'Or considers team performances as well as individual displays - making Vinicius' ability to spearhead his Madrid side to success an important quality to consider. He was named in both La Liga and the Champions League team of the seasons and was given the tournament's player of the Season award too.

Off the pitch, Vinicius has impressed in his ability to constantly stand up to those who aim to silence him. The winger orchestrated a huge battle against racism in football after being the subject of offensive chants - eventually leading to the arrest of three Valencia fans and stadium bans for a number of other perpetrators.

While his outings for Brazil were slightly less impressive than for his club, Vinicius still played a role in his nation's Copa America charge - netting two goals against Paraguay before Brazil were eventually knocked out in the quarter-finals.

Neymar never won the Ballon d'Or, even during the apex of his glittering career. But now, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo out of the way, Vincius looks set to become the next Brazilian to achieve the coveted prize - joining the likes of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho Gaucho and Kaka.

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