Vinicius says Ballon d'Or must 'come naturally' as he tips Madrid team-mate Benzema for 2022 award

By Sports Desk July 06, 2022

Vinicius Junior says he faces "a long road" to compete for the Ballon d'Or, as he tipped team-mate Karim Benzema to be named the world's best player this year.

Vinicius scored the only goal of the game as Real Madrid beat Liverpool to win their 14th Champions League title in May, having also played a key role in Los Blancos' dominant La Liga triumph.

The Brazilian scored 22 goals and recorded 16 assists in all competitions during the 2021-22 season, the latter figure representing a team-high total and one bettered only by Thomas Muller (22), Kylian Mbappe (21) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (18) among players in Europe's top five leagues.

Brazil's 2002 World Cup winner Rivaldo recently tipped Vinicius to challenge for the title of the world's best as early as next year, but the winger believes the examples set by fellow Madrid stars Benzema and Luka Modric show he has a long way to go.  

"It's [the Ballon d'Or] something that has to come naturally," Vinicius told YouTube channel Que Papinho. 

"Karim is 35 years old and now he will win it, Modric won it at 33 [in 2018].

"I have many years to evolve, a very long road for me if God wants me to win it one day."

Benzema's total of 59 goal contributions (44 goals, 15 assists) was only bettered by Mbappe (39 goals, 21 assists) in Europe's top five leagues last term, and Vinicius says his fellow Blancos attacker is the perfect role model. 

"I'm only 21 years old. I want to follow players like Karim, Modric, Marcelo, who won five Champions League titles," he added.

"I want to get as close to them as possible. That's when someone can call me that [a role model].

"Benzema repays the affection I have for him. He was a player I followed for a long time. I'm a big fan and being able to play with him today is incredible.

"He recently in an interview put me in his top five in the world, so I'm really happy."

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    Eden Hazard has no regrets about how his dream move to Real Madrid unfolded as he enjoys life after football.

    The Belgian forward joined the Spanish giants in 2019 after becoming one of the best players in the world at Chelsea but could not have the impact he hoped for.

    Injuries and poor form restricted him to just 76 appearances in all competitions before leaving the club after four disappointing years last summer.

    He decided to retire soon after, aged just 32, but will put his boots back on this summer after signing up to play for the World XI at Soccer Aid.

    Hazard still looks back on his time at the Bernabeu with pride.

    “It was my dream, I can tell you,” he said. “Even if the story was not that good, we all know injuries and this and that, but when you look back you can see some pictures of me wearing the Real Madrid shirt and it was something I am really proud of.”

    Asked whether he could have carried on playing had things ended differently at Madrid, he replied: “That’s a good question, who knows? I think so, but my time playing football was over, I had a lot of injuries, so no regrets.”

    Hazard’s involvement in Soccer Aid on June 9 will see an emotional return to Stamford Bridge, where he enjoyed a stellar seven years.

    He won two Premier League titles, two Europa Leagues, an FA Cup and a League Cup and reflects on “pure happiness” during his stay in west London.

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    A post shared by Eden Hazard (@hazardeden_10)

    “I spent seven years, the best memories of my football career,” he said.

    “I met great players, not just inside the team but also outside the club, it was seven years of pure happiness.

    “When you leave you always feel a bit sad but this club is always in my head, so just good memories.”

    Hazard, who has kept in shape because he doesn’t want to look like “Peppa Pig”, is enjoying life away from football.

    He does not see a future in professional coaching or management, but would love to help his five children follow him into the game.

    “I am enjoying it a lot, I miss being with the lads in the dressing room a bit but I have the freedom to do what I want now,” he told the PA news agency.

    “I have kids, I have family, I can go to Belgium to see my mum and dad, so I can do a lot of things.

    “I don’t know, now it is just good to be away, but I still love football, for sure I am going to do something in football in the future, but now I just want to relax and enjoy my retirement.

    “I don’t think I will coach professionally, but I think I can coach for youth teams. I have kids, and I want to teach them how to play football.”

    He will be managed by current Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino in the charity match, with the likes of Usain Bolt and Roberto Carlos joining him in the World XI.

    “It’s going to be at Stamford Bridge with friends, so it is going to be a great night,” he said.

    “So let’s have fun, score some goals and make the fans happy. They do amazing work, especially when you are a dad and you have kids and you see everything they do for kids.

    “You want them to do more and that is why you want people to come to the game to have a good time at Stamford Bridge.”

    :: Soccer Aid for Unicef 2024 takes place on June 9 at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, with tickets available at www.socceraid.org.uk/tickets.

  • Real Madrid complain further about alleged racist abuse towards Vinicius Junior Real Madrid complain further about alleged racist abuse towards Vinicius Junior

    Real Madrid have filed a further complaint with the Spanish authorities over alleged racist abuse directed at striker Vinicius Junior during their 4-2 LaLiga win at Osasuna on Saturday.

    Real had already filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office last week after footage on social media that appeared to show Atletico Madrid fans chanting racial abuse prior to their Champions League clash with Inter Milan.

    In a statement, Real said they have updated their initial complaint, as well as filing a separate protest to the Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee over the conduct of referee Juan Martinez Munuera.

    Real allege Munuera filed a “negligent” referee’s report, adding: “The official omitted, in voluntary and deliberate fashion, the insults and humiliating chants directed towards our player on a repeated basis, despite his attention being drawn to them continually by our players as they were happening.

    “Real Madrid once again condemns these violent attacks of racism, discrimination and hate and demands that measures finally be taken in order to eradicate the violence to which our player Vinicius Junior has been subjected.”

  • Dave Challinor feels the frustration as two points slip away at Crawley Dave Challinor feels the frustration as two points slip away at Crawley

    Stockport boss Dave Challinor admitted his promotion-chasing side should have gone on to beat Crawley after letting themselves down with a “very poor first half” at the Broadfield Stadium.

    Antoni Sarcevic headed the visitors in front just after the hour mark but Klaidi Lolos ran through to drag Crawley level seven minutes from time.

    The late goal denied Stockport the chance to cut the gap on leaders Mansfield to two points and leaves Challinor’s men with only one win from their last seven games.

    He said: “It’s frustrating because for me the feeling is it’s a carbon copy of last Thursday (when Stockport drew 2-2 at Salford).

    “It was a poor first 45 minutes followed by a second half in which we do enough to win the game but don’t do it.

    “They (Crawley) will be disappointed with the way we scored but we work hard on the training ground on set-pieces and sometimes it comes off. “

    Challinor believes his men must respond better after going in front in games, adding: “What happens to players I don’t know. Sometimes you think it’s fear when they’re in front and it leads to a sort of panic.”

    “I can speculate on many things as to why there was such a difference between the two halves, but what’s the point?

    “We’ve got to move on to the next game and it’s a big one (at home to MK Dons on Saturday).”

    A Crawley win would have earned them a place in the top seven and manager Scott Lindsey confessed the mood in the dressing room afterwards was “a bit flat.”

    However, he tried to concentrate on the positives after Lolos’ late goal left his team with only one defeat in their last eight games.

    The former Swindon boss said: “The overriding feeling is a bit flat because we knew we’d be in the play-offs had we won.

    “But to come back against a really strong side like Stockport, a side who are going to get promoted, and to take points in both matches we’ve played against them makes me proud.”

    Crawley are only a point outside the play-off places and Lindsey still believes they are in a good position.

    He added: “If you look at the table, the Gods are shining on us at the moment.  We’re in the best position of all the teams who want to get in the play-offs. “

    Greece-born Lolos has now scored in his last three games and Lindsey believes he is the type of player he needs to keep on the pitch for as long as possible.

    He explained: “Lolos had a quiet night but I know even when he’s not playing at his best he has that threat to make things happen and it was a great finish.”

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