The Ballon d’Or has sparked debates once again. This time, it revolves around Vinicius Jr. unexpectedly losing to Rodri in the top ranks. While fans were hyped to see the Brazilian win the Golden Ball, it ended differently. The football community was confused by the voting dynamics that led to Vinicius falling short. Vincent Garcia, the editor-in-chief of France Football, revealed that Vinicius “suffered the presence” of his Real Madrid teammates, Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal, in the final standings.

This ultimately favored Rodri. “Obviously, Vini surely suffered the presence of Bellingham and Carvajal in the top 5 because, mathematically, that took away some points. Real Madrid had between 3 and 4 players, and the juries divided their decisions among them, which benefited Rodri,” he shared. Garcia’s statement has shed light on the less-visible mechanics of the Ballon d’Or voting system, where multiple top-performing players from the same club can unintentionally dilute each other’s chances. 

On the other hand, Rodri had great benefit in that he was the standout player for his team. Although there were other Manchester City players on the list like Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Ruben Dias, their performance was not as good as Rodri’s in the 23/24 season. This dynamic mostly improved Rodri in the ranks, who was an unstoppable force in his team, helping Manchester City win the Premier League and the Euro 2024 for Spain.

Also, he became the Player of the Tournament in the Euro. When the voters looked at City’s performance and the Euro stats, their choice was clear. Rodri’s match-winning goals to his commanding presence in the midfield, he was everything City’s success stood for. 

Voting mechanics and the Madrid split

The Ballon d’Or uses journalists from around the world to vote for their top five choices. Points are allocated based on placement. However, when multiple players from the same team are ranked, the points they would receive may get divided among them. This year, Madrid had a strong lineup with Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Dani Carvajal in the Top 5. As a result, votes that could have gone to Vinicius were spread among the other Madrid players, who all had unique skills deserving of the shortlist.

Bellingham’s popularity likely affected the voting of Vinicius, and Garcia’s comments confirm as much. Bellingham’s debut season in Real Madrid was sort of extraordinary. He scored 23 goals and has 11 assists across both the Champions League and La Liga, winning both titles. He then went on to play a key role as England reached the Euro 2024 final, where they lost to Spain. Dani Carvajal also had a great season by winning the Champions League and La Liga at Real Madrid then winning the Euros for Spain which helped him secure the top 4 spot. His defensive reliability and leadership have contributed to his team’s success.

Although Vinicius didn’t reach the expected position, he has solidified his status as one of the top players globally. Garcia’s revelations provide a learning opportunity for Vinicius and Real Madrid in future Ballon d’Or races. To increase his chances of individual success, Vinicius might need more than just his exceptional gameplay. He’ll need to stand out within his club when votes are cast. On the other hand, Rodri’s rise in the rankings highlights the impact of strong team representation in the Ballon d’Or.