Neymar has publicly voiced his support for Vinicius Jr to win the Ballon d’Or, stating that no one is more deserving of the prestigious award than his compatriot. The Al-Hilal forward said the following: “He is a fighter, suffered a lot throughout his life, he exceeded all expectations, he overcame all the criticisms, trolls and today he has become a great idol, a hero for us.”
🗣 Neymar: "I love Vinicius. We have a beautiful relationship. He's a great friend that football has made me know. He had a wonderful season, I surely support him to win the Ballon D'Or. I think there's no one better than him. Vini deserves it, he's a fighter, he suffered a lot… pic.twitter.com/gLUoz3Lbjr
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 14, 2024
Neymar, who recently has returned to training with Al-Hilal after an extended absence due to injury, also highlighted his admiration for Vinicius’ growth. Neymar himself was once in contention to win the Ballon d’Or, particularly after his high-profile move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. He left Barcelona to step out of Lionel Messi’s shadow, seeking a better shot at claiming football’s top individual honor. However, Neymar, despite his brilliance, has not yet achieved that goal, adding an extra layer of significance to his endorsement of Vinicius.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in two weeks in Paris. Last year, Leo Messi won the award for a record eight time, with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe completing the top 3.