Michael Oti Adjei: How Ghanaian Journalist Voted for 2024 Ballon d’Or, Rodri Ahead of Vini

• The long-awaited breakdown of the 2024 Ballon d'Or votes by the specialised jury has been finally revealed
• Among the 100 journalists who formed part of the jury in deciding the eventual winner, Ghana was represented by Michael Oti-Adjei
• The ace sports broadcaster has been the country's representative in selecting who wins the most coveted individual prize in football

The 2024 Ballon d'Or drama has finally settled, with Manchester City’s Rodri emerging as this year’s top player, narrowly surpassing Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior.

Rodri’s triumph brought home the iconic accolade, with the midfielder beating Vinicius by a slim margin of just 41 points—a close finish in one of the award’s most hotly contested races.

The tension around this year’s Ballon d’Or was palpable, especially as Real Madrid opted to skip the ceremony once it became clear Vinicius would not take home the prize.

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Ballon d'Or 2024: How Top Ghanaian Journalist Michael Oti Adjei Voted

L’Equipe has since revealed the specific breakdown of votes from the international jury, composed of 100 specialised sports journalists, each representing their respective countries.

Each journalist provided a ranked top-10 list, with the first-choice player earning 15 points, the second-choice receiving 12, and scores descending to one point for the tenth player.

This structured voting format culminated in Rodri narrowly securing the top position.

How did Ghana vote for the 2024 Ballon d'Or?

Ghanaian sports broadcaster Michael Oti-Adjei of Media General, who represented the West African nation, was among those casting votes.

His selection placed Rodri in first, with Vinicius as runner-up and a nod to Erling Haaland in third—an unexpected twist reflecting Haaland’s impressive performance, per Owuraku Ampofo.

Breakdown of Oti Adjei's Ballon d'Or voting

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After Vinicius Jr's hat-trick, fans say Rodri should surrender Ballon d'Or

Journalist resigns from Ballon d'Or jury

In a related story, YEN.com.gh reported that Finnish journalist Juha Kanerva has stepped down from the Ballon d'Or jury after admitting he made a mistake by not voting for Vinicius Junior.

Kanerva was one of three journalists who left Vinicius off their top 10 list.

Acknowledging his error, he resigned and took full responsibility for the oversight after facing widespread criticism for his voting decision.

Ballon d'Or insider explains why he excluded Vinicius

YEN.com.gh also reported that Vinicius' Ballon d'Or loss may be attributed to his exclusion from the top 10 rankings by three journalists, including Bruno Perezio from El Salvador.

Perezio explained his decision, stating: “I did not consider Vinicius Jr in my top 10 vote because he is not an example for Fair Play.

"He is a good player, but lacks respect for his opponents.”

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Official Ballon d'Or voting shows Rodri beat Vinicius Jr. by a 'slim' margin

Source: YEN.com.gh