This year's race for Ballon d'Or has been more competitive than more usual. Lots of worthy candidates, but none apparently standing out as favourite over the rest. It seems the Messi-Ronaldo era is finally over, so who's leading the next generation?
After last night's incredible comeback by Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund in the
Champions League, the dust seems to have finally settled, and the judgement is almost unanimous: Vinícius Júnior will win Ballon d'Or next Monday.
Obviously, this hat-trick doesn't count to the votes for this year's award, but serves as a reminder of the skill of the Brazilian player, who has become essential to the team and has set the bar really high for Mbappé, one the French player hasn't yet reached at Real.
Vini Jr. delighted Real Madrid's fans with a hat-trick against Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid has had a rough start of the season, and conceding two goals against Borussia Dortmund in the first half, at the Santiago Bernabéu, which would have meant two losses in a row for the current champion.
But, in another epic Champions League night, Real Madrid turned the situation around in two minutes. Vini Jr. helped even the score with his first goal and Lucas Vázquez later up to 3-2.
That would have been the usual this season: another victory achieved by the bare minimum, leaving doubts about the competitiveness of the team. But Dortmund was tired and Vini was hungry, and added two more goals, two goals that might be some of the best of his career.
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The 4-2 was an astounding sprint from field-to-field, dribbling and leaving behind every Dortmund player, unable to match his speed. The fifth one was, in the words of Madrid's executive Emilio Butragueño, a kind of goal that Pelé could have scored, "a goal that elevates football, the kind of goal people come to Santiago Bernabéu to see".
The Ballon d'Or will be awarded next monday, October 28, and Vini Jr. leads every pool, followed by Rodri Hernández, Premier League and UEFA Euro winner with Manchester City and Spain.