'If Vini won...' - Pep Guardiola opens up about whether Vinicius Junior deserved to win Ballon d'Or 2024

Since Rodri was announced as the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner on Monday at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, there has been considerable discussion surrounding his achievement, especially in comparison to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. 

Rodri’s contributions as a defensive midfielder were instrumental in Manchester City’s success in the English Premier League and Spain’s European Championship victory. Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr. had been widely regarded as a frontrunner for the award before the announcement. Even Rodri’s club manager acknowledged that if Vinicius had won, it would have been a deserving outcome. 

Pep Guardiola's take on the Ballon d'Or 2024

In discussing his perspective, Guardiola referenced Erling Haaland's situation. The City striker received a nomination for the award in 2023, following the English champions' impressive treble victory. However, he faced tough competition from Lionel Messi, who, after leading Argentina to a World Cup win the previous season, ultimately claimed the honour.

“Of course, if (Vinicius) won, it would have been more than deserved.” he said.

“Erling won the Treble, scored more than 50 goals. I said to him ‘just being there, you have to be so happy’. I said the same to Rodri. If you are in the first two, three or four, it’s exceptional. You have to be so satisfied,” Guardiola said.

“Last season, should Erling have won? Yes. Should Messi have won? Yes. It’s not important (the winner). It represents that you and your team-mates have done something really nice that season,” he added.

Vinicius, along with his teammates and coach Carlo Ancelotti, chose to forgo the awards ceremony in Paris. Reports from Madrid indicate that the team made this decision upon discovering that the Brazilian player was not receiving the men’s best player award. This collective stance reflects their support for Vinicius and commitment to standing by their fellow teammate during the event.