Vinicius Jr. and Aitana Bonmatí Crowned FIFA Best Players of the Year

Vinicius Jr. and Aitana Bonmatí clinch the FIFA Best Player of the Year awards, celebrating their outstanding performances in global football.

At a ceremony in Doha on Tuesday, Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior was honored with the FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year award. Meanwhile, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati received the women’s prize for her second time.

The award was given two months after 24-year-old Vinicius secured second place in the Ballon d’Or. Real Madrid chose to skip the ceremony upon learning in advance that Manchester City’s midfielder Rodri would win the trophy.

However, this time the Brazilian was able to accept the prize in person as he is currently in Qatar with his club preparing for their Intercontinental Cup final match against Mexico’s Pachuca on Wednesday.

“Thank you so much. I’m at a loss for words—I never imagined reaching this point. I came from a background of poverty and organized crime, and my success is dedicated to all the children who come from similar circumstances. My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who supported me with their vote,” Vinicius expressed on stage.

I want to thank my family, the club, my teammates, and Carletto (Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti), who always supports me.

I want to express my gratitude to everyone who played a role in making my dream a reality. I hope to stay at Madrid for many years, as it is the best club in the world. A heartfelt thanks goes out to Flamengo, where I started my journey, and also to my national team-mates. I’m grateful for the unwavering support from my country that inspires me every day in what I do.

Vinicius takes over from Lionel Messi as the FIFA Best Men’s Player, following Messi’s victories in the previous two editions of the award.

The dynamic forward notched 24 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 matches across all competitions, guiding Real to a double victory with triumphs in La Liga and the Champions League last season.

After clinching his third La Liga title in May, Vinicius added a second Champions League trophy to his career achievements when Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 on June 1.

Vinicius found the back of the net at Wembley with a precise finish in the final 10 minutes, securing victory for his team.

While Vinicius occasionally took a backseat to his clubmate Jude Bellingham in La Liga, he unquestionably emerged as the key player for Madrid in Europe when things got serious.

He was the leading scorer for the Champions League winners, netting six goals during the tournament. His achievements included a decisive goal in the final and two crucial strikes that contributed to Madrid’s 4-3 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.

In January, he achieved a hat-trick during the final of the Supercopa, leading his team to a 4-1 triumph over arch-rivals Barcelona.

However, last season wasn’t entirely smooth for Vinicius, as he faced a challenging Copa America with the Brazilian national team during the summer.

He scored twice in a group-stage victory over Paraguay, but his team was ultimately eliminated on penalties by Uruguay in the quarter-finals.

The 26-year-old Spaniard Bonmati secured the Best Women’s Player award for the second consecutive year, adding to her collection of two Ballon d’Or trophies.

“I’m grateful and proud to receive this award,” Bonmati stated through a video link from Barcelona’s Olympic stadium.

In the previous term, Bonmati guided Barcelona to an unprecedented achievement of winning four continental titles and also secured victory in the Nations League with her national team.

In the 2023/24 season, she claimed every possible trophy in club football: the Spanish league title, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de España, and a consecutive Women’s Champions League victory.

Bonmati delivered a player-of-the-match performance and scored a goal, leading Barcelona to a 2-0 victory over Lyon in the Champions League final, securing their third title in four seasons.

Alejandro Garnacho, the Argentine forward for Manchester United, received the Puskas Award for scoring the best goal of the year with his stunning bicycle kick against Everton in a Premier League match.