Vinicius Junior and Aitana Bonmati were named FIFA Best Men’s and Women’s players of the year, respectively, at a ceremony held in Doha on Tuesday.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius, 24, claimed the men’s prize two months after finishing runner-up in the Ballon d’Or. He outshone competitors this time to collect the prestigious award while in Qatar for Real Madrid’s Intercontinental Cup final against Mexico’s Pachuca.
“Thank you very much. I grew up in a world of poverty and organised crime. This award is for all the children who grow up in that world,” said Vinicius. He expressed gratitude to his family, club, and teammates, highlighting his pride in representing Real Madrid and Brazil.
Vinicius succeeded Lionel Messi as FIFA’s Best Men’s Player following an outstanding season where he scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 matches, helping Real Madrid secure a La Liga and Champions League double. Key moments included a decisive strike in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund and a hat trick against Barcelona in the Supercopa final.
Although he endured a disappointing Copa America campaign with Brazil, Vinicius’ European exploits cemented his status as a star performer.
Meanwhile, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati, 26, won the Best Women’s Player award for the second consecutive year, adding to her two Ballon d’Or titles. She accepted the award via video link from Barcelona.
“I’m grateful and proud to receive this award,” Bonmati said, reflecting on a season where she led her team to an unprecedented quadruple, including the Spanish league, Copa de la Reina, Supercopa de España, and a second-straight UEFA Women’s Champions League title.
Bonmati starred in the Champions League final, scoring and delivering a player-of-the-match performance in Barcelona’s 2-0 victory over Lyon. She also captained Spain to Nations League glory.
In other awards, Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho received the Puskás Award for his stunning bicycle kick goal against Everton in the Premier League.
