Barcelona legend backs Real Madrid star for Ballon d’Or success | OneFootball

FC Barcelona and Brazil legend Rivaldo has expressed his strong support for Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. as a contender for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.

As the anticipation builds for this year’s ceremony, scheduled for October 28, Rivaldo has shared his views on the players he believes should be recognised among the top three candidates.

In his assessment, Rivaldo highlighted Vinicius Jr. as the foremost candidate for the coveted prize.

He acknowledged that Vinicius did not have a stellar performance in the Copa America, but emphasized that his contributions to Real Madrid have been significant and impactful.

Rivaldo believes that despite this setback in international competition, Vinicius has shown enough quality and skill at the club level to warrant consideration for the award.

“The first one should be Vinicius. Even though he didn’t win the Copa America… because it’s true that he didn’t have a good Copa America. But he did a lot with Real Madrid. He deserves it,” said the Brazil legend as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

Mention of Rodri and Bellingham

Rivaldo feels Vinicius Jr. deserves the Ballon d’Or. (Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images)

In addition to Vinicius, Rivaldo also mentioned other noteworthy players who should be included in the top three.

He specifically pointed out Rodri from Manchester City, recognising his contributions to the club, especially following his success in the recent European Championship.

“I would also put Rodrigo from Manchester City in there, in his case more for having been a Euro champion. And he has also been winning important titles with City for some time, as well as the Premier League,” he said.

Finally, Rivaldo placed Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid in third place on his list. Bellingham has had an outstanding season with the Spanish giants, demonstrating immense talent and potential at a young age.

“In third place, I would put Bellingham, who had a fantastic season with Real Madrid. You can always put several stars in there… but my top 3 would be this one,” he concluded.