Vinicius Jr Should Have Won Ballon d’Or, Says Guardiola

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has revealed his thoughts on the Ballon d’Or after seeing Rodri pip Vinicius Junior to top spot.

Vinicius Junior had been tipped to beat Rodri to the Ballon d’Or after inspiring Carlo Ancelotti’s side to La Liga and Champions League titles last season.

However, the Brazilian ended up being pipped to the prestigious award by Rodri, leading to a furious reaction from Real Madrid, who boycotted the ceremony in Paris on Monday. France Football chief Vincent Garcia has attempted to explain why Vinicius Jr did not win the Golden Ball, suggesting “it was close,” and Guardiola also feels either player could have won.

He told reporters: “Should it be Vinicius? Maybe. It’s [voted by] journalists, you know, not an elite group of people who decide. It’s [people] all around the world that votes, not just one country. There are different opinions, and that’s what makes football nice, no?”

Guardiola also shared his thoughts on Madrid’s decision to boycott the ceremony, adding: “It’s up to them. If they want to congratulate you, that’s fine. If not, that’s fine as well. At Manchester City, we are not here to judge other clubs on what they decide to do. Last season for example, Erling Haaland won the Treble, scoring 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. Last season, should Erling have won? Yes. Should Messi have won? Yes. It’s not important [who wins]. It represents that you and your team-mates have done something really nice that season.”