Cafu And Dida Support Vinicius Junior As Strong Contender For Ballon D'Or

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Two legendary Brazilian footballers, Cafu and Dida, believe Vinicius Junior should win this year's Ballon d'Or. Both were part of Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning team. Despite Vinicius missing Brazil's Copa America quarter-final against Uruguay due to suspension, he has excelled at Real Madrid over the past year. With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo not in the voting, a new winner will be crowned for the first time since Luka Modric in 2018.

Vinicius is among the top contenders for the prestigious award. Cafu expressed his support for Vinicius at the Festival dello Sport in Trento, Italy, stating, "Yes, he deserves to win it, he's had a great season." He praised Vinicius' impressive statistics from last season and believes he merits recognition for his achievements and future potential.

Dida echoed Cafu's sentiments about Vinicius' talent and contributions. He told Stats Perform: "Vinicius is a great kid, a great player, a top player. He did very well last year, he scored goals, he gave assists, that's why." Dida hopes Vinicius secures the Ballon d'Or as a testament to his outstanding performance.

Vinicius has been instrumental for Real Madrid since the start of the 2023-24 season. He has directly contributed to 42 goals across all competitions, scoring 28 times and providing 14 assists. Only Robert Lewandowski has more direct goal contributions (49) among players who have played in Spain during this period.

In terms of dribbling prowess, no player in Europe's top five leagues surpasses Vinicius' attempted dribbles count of 366. However, he ranks seventh with 141 successful dribbles. These numbers underscore his ability to challenge defenders consistently.

The anticipation surrounding this year's Ballon d'Or is heightened by the absence of Messi and Ronaldo from contention. This opens up opportunities for other talented players like Vinicius to be recognised on the global stage.

The Brazilian duo's endorsement adds weight to Vinicius' candidacy for one of football's highest honours. Their support reflects his impact on the field and potential to achieve even greater success in his career.