Real Madrid‘s Vinícius Júnior is awaiting the announcement of FIFA‘s “The Best” awards. The awards ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday, will reveal the top men’s and women’s football players of 2024.
The selection process involves votes from fans, national team captains and coaches, and media representatives. “The Best” is FIFA’s counterpart to the prestigious Ballon d’Or.
Vinícius is among the 11 players shortlisted for the Best Men’s Player award. His previous disappointment at losing the Ballon d’Or to Rodri led him and his Real Madrid teammates to boycott the ceremony in Paris.
The FIFA ceremony is set for 1700 GMT in Doha. Coincidentally, both Real Madrid and Vinícius are already in Doha for the Intercontinental Cup final against Pachuca.
Rodri, Kylian Mbappé, and Lionel Messi, the winner of the previous year’s FIFA award, are also on the shortlist. Messi secured the award through a tiebreaker against Erling Haaland.
Aitana Bonmatí, Barcelona’s playmaker, won the Best Women’s Player award in 2023. She is aiming for consecutive FIFA awards and is one of four Spanish players on the 16-woman shortlist.
Bonmatí, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, achieved a treble with Barcelona in 2024, winning the Spanish league, Spanish Cup, and Champions League.
The performances of the award contenders were evaluated from August 21, 2023, to August 10, 2024.
FIFA clarified that the award winners are determined by an “equally weighted voting system,” which takes into account votes from fans, captains and coaches, and media representatives.
In addition to the Best Men’s and Women’s Player awards, the ceremony will also announce the Best Men’s and Women’s Coaches and Goalkeepers. The Best Men’s and Women’s 11s, along with the Marta and Puskás Awards for the best goals in women’s and men’s football, will also be presented.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino will be among the attendees at the gala dinner held at the Aspire Academy in Doha.
