Jude Bellingham, the young English midfielder will surely have high hopes of winning the Ballon d’Or, a very special award given to the best football player in the world. After winning his first Champions League title with Real Madrid, many will think that this could be his year. However, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand thinks otherwise and his comments might worry Jude Bellingham.
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Jude Bellingham has enjoyed a stand-out season, no doubt. Scoring 23 goals in all competitions, and being immense in key moments for Los Blancos, he was named the La Liga player of the season and as far as debuts go, he has enjoyed one of the best in La Liga history.
As a result, the 20-year-old stands a good chance of winning the much coveted Ballon d’Or award. He is one of the bookie’s favorite as it stands. However, he has seen his claim for the award slightly dip, because of his no-show performance in the final or lack of it by his standards.
In the Champions League final, Real Madrid played against Borussia Dortmund and won 2-0. This is a huge deal for the Madrid side because the Champions League is one of the biggest football tournaments in the world. Jude Bellingham and his teammate, Vinicius Junior, who remarkably outshined the former were the superstars to look out for going into the game.
During the Champions League final, Vinicius Junior not only scored a goal but also played very well throughout the game. He made a lot of good moves and helped his team a lot. On the other hand, Jude Bellingham had an average game and just managed to get an assist, he helped set up the second goal. Unsurprisingly, Rio Ferdinand thought Vinicius had a bigger impact on the game, and his impact could be the Ballon d’Or decider. Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti also had similar sentiments about the Brazilian, backing the 24-year-old for the award.
Rio Ferdinand, the retired defender who is mostly known for his time at Manchester United, talked a lot about the game. He said that Vinicius Junior’s performance was amazing. Vinicius scored a very important goal after taking advantage of a mistake made by Ian Maatsen. Ferdinand thinks that this goal is so crucial that it might just win Vinicius the Ballon d’Or.
What Rio Ferdinand Said
Rio Ferdinand said, “If you win the Champions League, you put yourself in a great position to win the Ballon d’Or.” He thinks Vinicius is now in the lead because of his great performances in important games. Ferdinand also mentioned that other competitions like the Euros and Copa America, which are big football tournaments for countries, will also affect who wins the Ballon d’Or.
Vinicius Jr who has been previously criticised by the Spanish media outlets in the past, has now stepped up his game and has now become loved by many.
Even though Rio Ferdinand thinks Vinicius might win the Ballon d’Or, he has also praised Jude Bellingham a lot. Ferdinand has said in the past that Bellingham is very mature and has a great mentality for his age. He has also compared Jude Bellingham to other great English midfielders like Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, and Frank Lampard, saying that none of them did what Jude is doing at his age. This is quite a big compliment and a controversial one at that, because those players were incredibly talented and successful.
Vinicius Junior’s amazing Season
Vinicius Junior has had a fantastic season on all counts. He scored six goals and made five assists in the Champions League. Most of his important contributions came during the knockout stages, where the games are even tougher. He scored against big teams like Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and RB Leipzig. This has made him stand out even more amongst his Real Madrid teammates.
The 24-year-old has also been quite immense defensively for his side. His backtracking habits have also been crucial in halting counterattacks against his side.
The Tough Competition for the Ballon d’Or
Winning the Ballon d’Or is not just about one game; it’s about playing well all season long. Both Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior have been great players this year. But sometimes, a few big moments can make a difference.
Vinicius had many big moments, especially in the Champions League, which might give him an edge over Bellingham. Other players like Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden are also good shouts for the award.
The decade-long battle between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo made the Ballon d’Or competition almost non-existent but both players are almost out of the race for the award, because of their change in leagues. No disrespect to both the Major League Soccer and the Saudi League, they are way substandard compared to the European elite leagues. It will take something monumental for either of both players to stake a claim for the award this time.
Whether or not Jude Bellingham wins the Ballon d’Or this year, he still has a very bright future. He is quite young and has already achieved a lot. Even if he doesn’t win this time, he will have many more chances to win in the future.
Conclusion
Jude Bellingham is an amazing young football player who has had a great season. Winning the Champions League with Real Madrid is a big achievement. However, Rio Ferdinand’s comments suggest that Vinicius Junior might have a better chance of winning the Ballon d’Or because of his outstanding performances.
Jude Bellingham still has the European championship to show the world what he has in his feet, and maybe just maybe bring it home for England, becoming the first Englishman to win the gong since Michael Owen in 2001.