PARIS — Inside the opulent Théâtre du Châtelet in central Paris on Monday evening, football royalty will gather for the 68th edition of the Ballon d’Or, with Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior overwhelmingly tipped to lift the golden sphere.
Should Vinícius claim the ultimate individual accolade, the 24-year-old will become the first Brazilian to win the Ballon d’Or since Kaká in 2007, ending a 17-year drought for the five-time World Cup winners.
Vinícius enjoyed a defining 2023–24 campaign, scoring 24 goals and providing 11 assists across all competitions as Real Madrid captured a magnificent La Liga and UEFA Champions League double. His decisive strikes in the semi-final against Bayern Munich and the final at Wembley against Borussia Dortmund cemented his status as the game’s ultimate big-game match-winner.
His midweek hat-trick in Madrid’s 5–2 comeback against Dortmund served as a dazzling exclamation point, reminding the global jury of 100 international journalists of his untouchable peak form.
Manchester City’s midfield orchestrator Rodri—who won Euro 2024 with Spain and the Premier League with City—remains Vinícius’ closest rival for the trophy, while Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal are expected to secure top-four finishes.
Real Madrid are also expected to dominate the collective honors, with Carlo Ancelotti favored for the Johan Cruyff Men’s Coach of the Year award and Los Blancos primed for Men’s Club of the Year.
The star-studded red carpet begins at 19:00 CET on Monday, October 27, in Paris.