Vinicius Junior’s Ballon d’Or campaign draws votes from only eight journalists

Vinicius Junior finished 17th in the final Ballon d’Or standings after a difficult season with Real Madrid and Brazil, with the award ultimately won by English striker Harry Kane.

The Brazilian forward was not considered among the leading contenders for the 2026 prize. His prospects were affected by Real Madrid’s disappointing campaign, Brazil’s underwhelming showing at the World Cup and a significant decline in his individual statistics.

Although the Ballon d’Or vote was conducted by 100 journalists, Vinicius Junior appeared on the ballot of only eight of them.

The journalist representing Jordan ranked the Real Madrid player 10th, making Jordan the only Arab country to include him among its selections.

Vinicius Junior’s eight votes were recorded as follows:

– Mali fifth – Cabo Verde seventh – Paraguay seventh – Brazil eighth – Guinea eighth – Kosovo eighth – Jamaica 10th – Jordan 10th

The result places Vinicius Junior well outside the leading group in this year’s competition, despite his status as one of Real Madrid’s most prominent players.