Vinícius Junior is one of the 11 nominees for the prestigious FIFA Best Men’s Player award, following a standout year with Real Madrid. The Brazilian winger, who was notably disappointed after losing the Ballon d’Or to Manchester City’s Rodri in October, expressed his frustration by abstaining from the ceremony in Paris alongside his Madrid teammates.
The FIFA ceremony is set to begin at 17:00 GMT in Doha, where Vinícius and Madrid have traveled ahead of the Intercontinental Cup final against Pachuca. Along with Vinícius, other prominent figures on the shortlist include Rodri, Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé, and Lionel Messi, who shared last year’s FIFA award with Erling Haaland.
Aitana Bonmatí Wins Best Women’s Player Award
In the women’s category, FC Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí has been named the Best Women’s Player for 2023. Bonmatí, who has been nominated for back-to-back FIFA awards, led Barcelona to victory in the Spanish league, Spanish Cup, and Champions League in 2024. She is one of four Spanish players on the 16-player shortlist.
Awards Criteria and Ceremony Details
The nominees were selected based on their performances between August 21, 2023, and August 10, 2024. FIFA’s winners are chosen through an “equally weighted voting system” that includes votes from fans, team captains and coaches, and the media.
In addition to the player awards, the ceremony will also announce the Best Men’s and Women’s Coaches, Best Men’s and Women’s Goalkeepers, the Best Men’s and Women’s 11s, and the Puskás and Marta awards for the best goals in men’s and women’s football.