Main Reason Brazil Fans Want Vinicius Junior to Miss Out on Ballon d'Or

Main Reason Brazil Fans Want Vinicius Junior to Miss Out on Ballon d'Or

  • Vinicius Junior's dismal performance for Brazil continued when they travelled to Paraguay to play in the World Cup qualifier
  • The electrifying winger once again went missing as Brazil suffered a painful 1-0 defeat to their South Amerca counterparts
  • After the match, the Real Madrid star faced significant backlash from frustrated Brazil fans who opposed his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or

Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has been told that awarding him the Ballon d'Or would be the "biggest crime in the history of the sport" after another disappointing performance for Brazil.

The 24-year-old forward was largely invisible during Brazil's 1-0 defeat to Paraguay in their latest CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifier.

Main Reason Brazil Fans Want Vinicius Junior to Miss Out on Ballon d'Or
Some Brazil fans have told Vinicius Junior that he doesn't deserve to win the Ballon d'Or after his poor performance against Paraguay. Photo: Christian Alvarenga.
Source: Getty Images

This means that the five-time World Champions have dropped to fifth place in the CONMEBOL standings after suffering their fourth loss in eight matches, per the BBC.

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Vinicius Junior explains why he struggles with Brazil, 'begs' for forgiveness from fans

Despite this, the Selecao remain in direct contention for a spot at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, with the top six teams qualifying.

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Brazil fans slam Vinicius' display against Paraguay

Vinicius has been a key player for Real Madrid, but many feel he has yet to deliver a standout performance for his country that matches his club form.

While the dynamic winger showed some improvement in the second half against Paraguay last Monday, his efforts weren’t enough to help the Selecao secure a point away from home.

Angry Brazil fans lashed out at the 24-year-old after the match, criticising him for not stepping up to lead his team to victory.

Some supporters even voiced their hopes that the Ballon d'Or frontrunner would miss out on the prestigious award due to his underwhelming performance.

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Rodrygo finally breaks his silence after painful Ballon d'Or snub: "I was upset"

@ney2maa wrote on X:

"We can't let a player like Vinicius, who disappears in every game for his national team, win the Ballon d'Or. It would be the biggest crime in the history of the sport."

@EifSoccer commented:

"Without exaggeration, Vinicius has to be one of the most underwhelming international performers compared to his club form. We're talking about a future Ballon d'Or winner, yet he’s never delivered for Brazil. At this point, how can they keep playing him?"

@Ollican said:

"There’s a reason Zidane always kept him on the bench. Vinicius has been poor under every manager throughout his career, except for Ancelotti. This isn’t just about being a system player, which is problematic enough; it’s a matter of his skill set. If he manages to win that Ballon d'Or, it’ll be a disaster, to be honest. Smh."🤦🏾‍♀️"

@Siphe_Sihle1 added:

"Yet some insist he should win the Ballon d'Or. It's utterly ridiculous. Rodri performs consistently for both club and country."

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Meanwhile, Vinicius will be eager to return to his familiar environment of Madrid, where Carlo Ancelotti awaits him in the tactical room.

He will aim to shake off his poor international form ahead of their match against Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Vinicius apologises to Brazil fans

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Vinicius has finally addressed Brazil's disappointing loss to Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, breaking his silence after enduring heavy criticism from fans.

The Real Madrid winger, widely considered a top contender for the 2024 Ballon d'Or, faced intense scrutiny following a lacklustre performance that starkly contrasted his usual electrifying displays in Europe.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Isaac Darko avatar

Isaac Darko (Sports Editor) Isaac Darko is a Sports Editor at Yen, boasting over 10 years of experience in the media industry. He has produced award-winning TV shows such as "Football 360" and "Sports XTRA" on ViaSat 1/Kwese TV. Isaac began his career as an Assistant Producer at TV3 Ghana Limited (Media General) and also contributed as a Writer and Weekend Editor for Pulse Ghana. He earned his bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism (now University of Media, Arts and Communication). Email: isaac.darko@sportsbrief.com.