Give the Ballon d’Or to Vinicius Junior right away; he deserves it.

Vinicius Junior has already argued that he is deserving of the Ballon d’Or, football’s most coveted honor, which will be given to the world’s greatest male player on October 28.

With Jude Bellingham and Rodri in the running, the Real Madrid player is one of the favorites to win the award in Paris at the end of the month. But Vinicius’ 2023–2024 campaign accomplishments simply surpass those of his celebrity peers, earning him the prize.

Naturally, Vinicius won the La Liga championship and the Champions League trophy the previous season. With 24 goals in 39 games, the Brazilian was the driving force behind Madrid’s success.

That’s a pretty good return for someone who is naturally left-wing.

In just 14 games this season, he has already scored eight goals, including a hat-trick in Tuesday’s Champions League triumph over Borussia Dortmund, the runner-up from the previous season. The Ballon d’Or winner this year shouldn’t be affected by his accomplishments from this season, yet it’s hard to ignore his incredible performances.

The Ballon d’Or takes into account both individual and team results, therefore Vinicius’ capacity to lead his Madrid team to victory is a crucial factor. He received the player of the season title for the event in addition to being named to the La Liga and Champions League teams of the seasons.

Outside of the field, Vinicius has demonstrated his capacity to consistently confront those who would silence him. After becoming the target of derogatory chants, the winger organized a massive campaign against racism in football, which ultimately resulted in the arrest of three Valencia supporters and the suspension of several additional offenders from the stadium.

Vinicius contributed to his country’s Copa America run despite having somewhat less outstanding performances for Brazil than for his club. He scored two goals against Paraguay before Brazil was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Even at the height of his dazzling career, Neymar was never the recipient of the Ballon d’Or. However, now that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are out of the way, Vincius appears to be the next Brazilian to win the prized award, joining the likes of Kaka, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho Gaucho, and Ronaldo.