Brazilian forward Vinicius wins FIFA World Player of the Year

In the first-ever virtual ceremony from the Aspire Academy in Qatar’s capital Doha, due to a busy international and club schedule, the 24-year-old winger became the first player from the “Samba country” to receive this honor since Kaka in 2007 (The Best FIFA and Ballon d’Or), and entered the “temple” of legends in the country that holds the record for the most World Cup titles (5 times) along with famous seniors such as Rivaldo, Ronaldo Nazario, Ronaldinho and Romario.

Although the ceremony took place online, Vinicius was still able to attend in person and be presented with this global award in person as Real Madrid are participating in the Intercontinental Club Cup in Doha.

With his outstanding achievements in helping Real Madrid win the Champions League – the most prestigious club tournament in Europe and the Spanish Football Championship, Vinicius has surpassed two strong candidates: midfielder Rodri – the pillar that helped Spain win Euro 2024 and Manchester City win the English football championship – and his Real Madrid teammate, English midfielder Jude Belingham. This victory is even more meaningful because Vinicius had previously lost to Rodri at the 2024 Ballon d’Or award organized by France Football magazine.

In addition to these 3 players, the list of nominees in the category of best male player of the year also includes Leo Messi, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Florian Wirtz, Erling Haaland and Fede Valverde.

Under this voting format, fan votes play a key role in selecting winners in each category for the first time, as they are counted on an equal footing with the traditional votes from captains and coaches of FIFA member national men’s and women’s teams.