Sport
Benzema Defends Vinicius and Questions Rodri’s Ballon d’Or Win
Al-Ittihad striker Karim Benzema believes Vinicius Jr. was the rightful winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Benzema, who has been a mentor to Vinicius during their years at Real Madrid, expressed disappointment that the Brazilian talent didn’t take home the trophy.
In the recent Ballon d’Or results, Vinicius finished as runner-up to Manchester City’s Rodri, who was awarded the prestigious title during a ceremony held in Paris, France.
However, the decision sparked controversy, leading Vinicius and his Real Madrid teammates to skip the event entirely, a silent protest over what they felt was an unjust outcome.
Benzema shared his views on the situation, explaining he had recently spoken with Vinicius, who was understandably disappointed by the result.
“I talked to Vini, and he’s down… which is normal,” Benzema remarked. “He deserved to be recognized as the best.”
The former Real Madrid forward also commented on Rodri’s victory, emphasizing that while he respects the Spanish midfielder, he believes Rodri’s style lacks the electrifying impact Vinicius brings to the game.
Benzema candidly stated, “Rodri is a good player, but I’m watching from home, and there’s nothing in his game that makes you go ‘wow.’”
This year’s Ballon d’Or decision has sparked a wider conversation about how players are evaluated for the prestigious award and whether the voting system accurately reflects the skills and achievements of top talents.
Pep Guardiola has chosen Bernardo Silva as Manchester City’s new captain, handing the midfielder the armband without putting it to a team vote. Silva steps into the role following the exit of Kevin De Bruyne, whose contract with City recently expired. Guardiola also named Ruben Dias, Rodri, and Erling Haaland as the team’s new vice-captains for the upcoming season.
Silva’s current contract runs out next summer, meaning his time as captain could be short if no new deal is signed. Though he’s turned down multiple transfer offers in recent windows, interest in the Portuguese playmaker remains strong, with clubs from Saudi Arabia and former side Benfica still keen on him.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons are set to face long-time rivals Ghana’s Black Princesses in a friendly match as part of their build-up to the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Coach Justine Madugu’s team also has a second friendly lined up against Portugal, which will be played on Monday, June 23.
The clash with Ghana will take place in Morocco, where the Black Princesses are already camped in Benslimane for their final round of preparations. Meanwhile, the Super Falcons will travel to Portugal later this week to begin their own final training phase ahead of the tournament.
Nigeria is in Group B, where they will take on Tunisia, Botswana, and Algeria. Ghana, on the other hand, will compete in Group C alongside defending champions South Africa, Mali, and Tanzania.
Real Madrid might be without Kylian Mbappe for their Club World Cup opener against Al-Hilal on Wednesday, as the forward is currently down with an illness. Mbappe missed training ahead of the match, and new manager Xabi Alonso says a final decision will be made on game day.
“Kylian felt a bit better this morning, but not well enough just yet,” Alonso said. “We’ll wait till tomorrow morning to make the call.” Madrid could also be missing key players Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga.
“Rudiger gave everything this season. I’m not sure he’ll be in the squad, but he’s recovering fast and should be back first. Camavinga is getting better too, but he still needs some time,” Alonso added. Alonso is set to take charge of Madrid for the first time, but injuries and illness may leave him without some of his top stars.
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