Vinicius Jr named Fifa’s player of 2024, Aitana Bonmati takes women’s award again
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Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr (left) and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the Fifa best player awards for 2024.
PHOTO: REUTERS, EPA-EFE
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DOHA – Brazil and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was named the Best Fifa Men’s Player of 2024 in Doha on Dec 17, with Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati winning the women’s award for the second year in a row.
Vinicius scored 24 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions to help Real clinch the La Liga and Champions League double, and he also netted in their Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund.
The Brazilian won the award ahead of Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri and his teammate at Real, England’s Jude Bellingham.
The 24-year-old – who narrowly missed out on the Ballon d’Or to Rodri in October – was in Doha to collect the award, with Real in Qatar for the Intercontinental Cup final against Mexico’s Pachuca on Dec 18.
“Thank you very much. I don’t know where to start,” he said on stage.
“It was impossible to think of getting here. I grew up in a world of poverty, of organised crime. It’s for all the children who grow up in that world. I thank everyone who voted for me.
“To my family, to the club, to my teammates, to Carletto (Real coach Carlo Ancelotti), who always helps me.
“To everyone who helped make my dream come true. I hope to be at Madrid for many years, because it is the best club in the world. To Flamengo (his first club in Brazil). To my teammates in my national team. And to my country.”
Vinicius succeeds Lionel Messi after the Argentinian scooped up the last two editions of the award.
Bonmati retained the Best Fifa Women’s Player award ahead of Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen, having also won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive year in October.
The 26-year-old helped her club to a domestic treble last season in a campaign in which Barca also retained the Champions League, and Bonmati scored in the semi-final and final when Spain won the Nations League in February.
“I’m very grateful for this award, but I always say that this is a team effort, with a Barca that won everything and the national team,” she said.
Real’s Ancelotti won the Best Men’s Coach award, after the Italian led his club to the league and Champions League double last season.
“I want to share this with the club, with my president and with my players, those of the best club in the world,” he said.
Emma Hayes won the Best Women’s Coach gong, after leading the United States to the gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games, having taken Chelsea to their fifth successive Women’s Super League title last season.
Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti won the best men’s coach award, while Emma Hayes won the women’s accolade.
PHOTOS: AFP, REUTERS
Alejandro Garnacho won the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year, thanks to the Argentinian winger’s overhead strike for Manchester United against Everton in the English Premier League in November 2023.
Brazil’s Marta won the inaugural Marta Award, for the best goal in women’s football, taking the prize named in her honour for her goal against Jamaica in June.
The best women’s goalkeeper award went to American Alyssa Naeher of the Chicago Red Stars, while Emiliano Martinez of Argentina and Aston Villa took the men’s award. REUTERS, AFP
