Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has been informed by France Football he will win Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior will be crowned the best player in the world next month, according to the latest in the Spanish capital.

The Brazilian forward played a key role in Real Madrid’s Champions League and La Liga double last season, and was one of the prime candidates to win the award, in a field that was much less clear this year. Marca report that Vinicius has already been informed that he will win the Ballon d’Or for 2024, which is awarded by France Football by a panel of journalists.

The Ballon d’Or gala is due to take place on the 28th of October in Paris, right after El Clasico, and Vinicius will receive the award. Already the plans are in place for the Nike store on Gran Via in Madrid to rework their display into a tribute to Real Madrid’s Ballon d’Or winners, with a gold theme.

With the exception of Lionel Messi’s eight awards, Real Madrid have dominated the Ballon d’Or in recent years, with Luka Modric and then Karim Benzema the only ones to break the duopoly of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo until now. This is the first time that the shortlist has not included either of the two greats since nearly two decades.