The conversation surrounding Vinicius Junior continues to grow after the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Paché Andrade, a Colombian journalist responsible for voting on behalf of his country, has shed light on the changes introduced by UEFA.
Since 28th October, the football world has been in turmoil. While a lavish ceremony was anticipated for the presentation of the 2024 Ballon d’Or trophy, which had already been promised to Vinicius Junior, an unexpected turn of events occurred. Contrary to all expectations, it was Spanish midfielder Rodri who was named Lionel Messi’s successor. In light of this bitter news, Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony, suspecting UEFA of having influenced the outcome.
The Colombian’s confessions
Believing that the new rules introduced this year were implemented by UEFA, which joined the event for the first time in history to encourage voters to exclude Vinicius Junior, the Madrid executives have drawn attention for their notable absence, sparking considerable discussion. Since this ceremony, which will be remembered as one of the most controversial in history, bombshell revelations have emerged. In an interview with the popular Spanish show El Chiringuito TV, Paché Andrade, responsible for votes from Colombia, indicated that UEFA’s involvement has not been without consequences.
For the journalist, who voted for Vinicius Junior in first place, the voting process has changed. “The difference lies in how we vote. Now, we enter a booth, and the AI asks us how we vote, and then we vote. Before, we didn’t do it this way. But this doesn’t signify a fundamental change; it’s just a different voting mechanism that doesn’t alter our personal choice,” explains the Colombian commentator.
“I don’t see what Vinícius could have done”
While he believes they were not subjected to any pressure during their vote, which was free, Andrade argues that the inclusion of the infamous Fair Play criterion, which favoured Rodri, has no place. “I was surprised that Rodri won, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve it. I don’t understand what Fair Play means in this specific case,” commented the Colombian voter.
Furthermore, the journalist highlights significant confusion within France Football regarding this criterion, which several journalists used to exclude Vinicius Junior from their top three. “I don’t know what Fair Play means in this particular case. From France Football, they have referred to the Fair Play that must exist in any election; for my part, I wouldn’t understand how a player could be on the list while having breached Fair Play. I don’t see what Vinícius could have done to justify not voting for him in first place,” he concluded.
In any case, when one observes that all these changes coincidentally occurred when UEFA joined the event, one can understand the anger of the Madrid faithful.
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