Real Madrid legend Marcelo has boldly backed Vinicius Jr. as the front-runner for this year’s Ballon d’Or, expressing his belief that the Brazilian winger deserves the prestigious award over teammate Kylian Mbappe, Soccernet.football reports.
In a recent interview with TNTSports, the former Los Blancos fullback shared his thoughts on Real Madrid’s formidable attacking trio of Vinicius, Mbappe, and Rodrygo Goes.
Marcelo spoke highly of the club’s revamped forward line, with Mbappe joining the two-time Champions League winners Vinicius and Rodrygo.
“Vinicius has two Champions Leagues, Rodrygo has two, and now Mbappe is here too,” Marcelo noted, predicting future success for the trio. “They’ll win three or four more. It’s over, man.”
Having won five Champions League titles during his illustrious career at the Santiago Bernabeu, Marcelo is well-versed in the qualities required for success at the highest level.
His confidence in Real Madrid’s current squad and their potential to dominate European football in the coming years was evident throughout the interview.
On the topic of the Ballon d’Or, Marcelo did not hesitate to express his preference. “The Ballon d’Or? They’ll give it to Vinicius for sure,” he stated, pointing to Vinicius’s standout performances and key role in Real Madrid’s recent campaigns.
However, Marcelo also voiced disappointment over Rodrygo’s exclusion from the Ballon d’Or nominees.
“Rodrygo was left out, I didn’t understand that either,” Marcelo said. “For me, he should be among the top 10 or 15 players in the world.”
Marcelo’s sentiments were echoed by fellow Brazilian star Neymar, who recently called Rodrygo one of the top five players globally.