- The president of Real Madrid harshly criticized the journalists who did not vote for Vinicius Jr.
- A Namibian journalist now criticizes the latest complaints by Florentino Pérez
- Liverpool correspondent LEWIS STEELE tells all in explosive chat with Mo Salah – LISTEN NOW It’s all starting! New episodes every Monday and Thursday.
A Namibian journalist responded to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez as he continued to criticize the decision not to award Vinicius Jr the Ballon d’Or title.
The protests in Madrid have been relentless and well-documented since Rodri became the first Premier League star since Cristiano Ronaldo to be recognized as the best player in the world.
Vinicius Jnr had been chosen to win the award after a stellar season that ended with the club lifting the LaLiga and Champions League titles, but was ultimately snubbed.
In the competition’s voting format, 100 journalists from the top 100 FIFA member countries choose their five best players from the shortlist of nominees, with different total points awarded for each position.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri overtook Vinicius to lift the title. The decision was leaked before the ceremony and Madrid immediately canceled their plans to travel to Paris.
Vinicius and the club rejected his invitation at the last minute and the Brazilian’s teammates subsequently posted messages of support titled insisting he should have won the Ballon d’Or.
A Namibian journalist responds to the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez, for his complaints about the Ballon d’Or
Madrid are still furious after Vinicius Jr. (pictured) did not win the award.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri was named the best player in the world after winning the Ballon d’Or.
Pérez has led the club’s complaints and has attacked journalists who he does not believe should be allowed to vote in the process, stating: “The readers of ‘L’Equipe’ gave Vinicius a favorite.
‘It is surprising that UEFA’s statement indicates that it remained unchanged. They have changed the voting system. It is surprising that when it comes to football, there are countries in which journalists with less than a million inhabitants now have the right to vote.
‘There are journalists that no one knows and have entered to vote this year, without the votes of journalists from these countries like Uganda, Namibia, Albania and Finland, Vinicius would have won this Ballon d’Or…
‘The system must change and the people who risk their prestige with those votes must be recognized,’ he added.
Now Namibian journalist Sheefeni Nicodemus has responded delicately to Perez’s latest complaints, insisting that the Real Madrid executive is suggesting his nation is “inferior”.
Vinicius Jnr came second in the general vote of 100 different journalists
The journalist did not include Vinicius Jr. in his top three, but still voted for a Madrid star with Jude Bellingham at the top of his list, Rodri in second and Lamine Yamal in third place.
In response to Pérez’s latest complaints, Nicodemo told the El Larguero program: ‘Basically, I suspect that these are just the words of someone who is frustrated like Mr. Pérez.
‘That is, he feels that the people of my country and the other countries mentioned do not have a significant vote because we are inferior people.
“I’d just like to know, if I were from a major football nation and I didn’t agree with your opinion, what would your argument be?”
