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‘They’re not ready,’ Vinicius Jr defiant after losing Ballon d’Or to Rodri

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Brazil and Real Madrid forward,  Vinicius Jr, said on Monday that he will keep on fighting racism even if his activism is what led to him not winning the Ballon d’Or, sources close to the player told Reuters.

Despite being regarded favourite, Vinicius finished second in the prestigious award voting behind Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodriguez. Many took to social media to express outrage over the outcome.

The Brazilian also took to social media after the awards to say he will keep fighting again racism.

“I will do it 10 times if I have to. They’re not ready,” Vinicius posted on X after his LaLiga side Real Madrid cancelled their plans to attend the ceremony in Paris, boycotting it in anticipation of the Brazilian not winning the men’s award.

Asked what Vinicius meant with his post, his management staff told Reuters that he was referring to his fight against racism.

They believe it was what led to him not winning the award, saying that “the football world is not ready to accept a player who fights against the system.”

The 24-year-old Brazil international has been subjected to racial abuse on several occasions in Spain, leading to at least two convictions for racist insults in pioneer cases in the country.

Real also won the Men’s Club of the Year award, and their manager Carlo Ancelotti was named Men’s Coach of the Year after winning the European and Spanish league double in a near-perfect campaign last season.

France Football, which organises the Ballon d’Or awards, was not immediately available for comment.

The awards are based on voting by a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries.

“FOOTBALL POLITICS X. My brother, you are the best player in the world and no award can say otherwise. Love you, my bro,” Real’s Eduardo Camavinga posted on X.

While several other teammates shared messages with photos of Vinicius saying “You are the best”.

“I waited all year for Vini Jr to be deservedly recognised as the best player in the world and now they come to tell me that the Ballon d’Or is not for him?” Brazilian women’s great Marta said in a video on Instagram.

Vinicius was instrumental in Real’s Champions League-LaLiga double along with 21-year-old Jude Bellingham, who scored 19 goals in a sparkling debut campaign and helped England reach the Euro 2024 final and came third in the Ballon d’Or ranking.

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Mohamed Salah Hints At Liverpool Exit Amid Uncertain Contract Future

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Mohamed Salah Hints At Liverpool Exit Amid Uncertain Contract Future
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Mohamed Salah Hints At Liverpool Exit Amid Uncertain Contract Future

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has sparked fresh speculation over his future at the club with a cryptic social media message, hinting at a possible departure.

The Egyptian star, who scored the decisive goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday, took to X (formerly Twitter) to reflect on his connection with the club and Anfield fans.

“Top of the table is where this club belongs. Nothing less. All teams win matches, but there’s only one champion in the end. That’s what we want,” Salah posted.

He added, “Thank you for your support last night. No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like.”

With his contract set to expire at the end of this season, the 32-year-old’s future remains uncertain.

Salah, who is currently on a reported £350,000-per-week deal, will be able to negotiate with clubs outside England starting in January if no extension is agreed upon.

Despite the concerns of fans, Liverpool manager Arne Slot has downplayed the contract situation, choosing instead to focus on the strong form of Salah and his teammates, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts also expire this season.

As Liverpool pursues its first Premier League title since 2020, Salah’s future will remain a closely watched storyline among fans eager to see the Egyptian icon stay at Anfield.

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Ranked: 5 players in Europe who have outscored Cristiano Ronaldo in 2024

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Ranked: 5 players in Europe who have outscored Cristiano Ronaldo in 2024

 

  • Cristiano Ronaldo has been in fine goalscoring form since joining Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr in 2023
  • Ronaldo is waiting for his first official trophy with the club, with rivals Al-Hilal dominating since his arrival
  • Despite his goalscoring exploits, five strikers playing in European leagues have outscored him in 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best goalscorers that football has ever seen, lighting up every club he has played for with goals from Madeira to Manchester to Madrid and beyond.

In the final years of his career, he is the pacesetter in the lucrative Saudi Pro League and has not stopped scoring, even though he has yet to taste a major trophy with Al-Nassr.

According to Planet Football, only five players in the European leagues have outscored his 29 goals in 2024 this season, proving how great of a finisher he still is at 39.

TUKO.co.ke looks at the five players who have netted more than 29 goals in European leagues in 2024.

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European players who have outscored Ronaldo

1. Viktor Gyokeres

Gyokeres has been the hottest striker in Europe since last season, and it’s no surprise that he has netted 43 goals in the calendar year, including five in the last two games. According to Sky Germany, he is a target for top European clubs, and his move will come soon, with manager Ruben Amorim leaving for Manchester United.

2. Harry Kane

Kane would be at the top of this list with 37 goals if only the top five European leagues were considered. He continues to be a free-scoring striker at Bayern Munich and could finally get his hands on a trophy this season with the Bavarians racing to an early lead on the German Bundesliga table.

3. Robert Lewandowski

Lewandowski had a mixed season for Barcelona in 2023/24 but picked up his goalscoring boots in the second half of the season. He has been on fire under new boss Hansi Flick, whom he played under at Bayern. He has 34 goals this year, half of which have come this season.

4. Erling Haaland

Haaland has been one of Europe’s best goalscorers in Europe since he broke onto the scene at RB Salzburg and has remained consistent. He has 33 goals in 2024, 19 of which came last season to wrap up his second consecutive Premier League Golden Boot. He has 14 already this season.

5. Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe played the first half of 2024 as a Paris Saint-Germain player, scoring 23 goals despite issues with the club surrounding his intention to leave the club as a free agent. He has netted eight times for Real Madrid, including six in the Spanish La Liga.

Osimhen rated above Haaland

Ekwutosblog reported that Victor Osimhen was rated above Haaland on the list of the most marketable athletes in 2024 based on three criteria from a US website.

The Nigerian masked man narrowly edged the Norwegian goal machine as one of the footballers in the top 50, including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Heartland FC of Owerri beat Abia Warriors 2:0 away from home in oriental derby.

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Heartland FC of Owerri beat Abia Warriors 2:0 away from home in oriental derby.

Heartland FC of Owerri has just secured a thrilling 2-0 win over Abia Warriors in the Oriental Derby. This victory is a huge boost for the team, and  fans are over the moon!

Ekwutosblog gathered that according  to the latest match statistics, Heartland FC’s coach, Christian Obi, has finally broken the winless streak, securing his first victory in 17 attempts. This win is a testament to the team’s hard work and determination. As Obi said, “The jinx has been broken. I am excited and I want to use this opportunity to all those that have contributed your support. We are climbing the ladder and climbing the ladder has a process. It is one after the other.”

In terms of the match itself, Heartland FC dominated the game, with Abia Warriors struggling to find their footing. The statistics show that Heartland FC had a total of 9 goals in the last 6 matches, with an average of 1.5 goals per game. On the other hand, Abia Warriors had only 4 goals in the same period, with an average of 0.67 goals per game.

As for the head-to-head match statistics, Heartland FC has won 9 matches out of 16 against Abia Warriors, with 4 draws and 3 losses. The most recent match between the two teams ended in a 2-0 win for Heartland FC, with a total of 2 goals scored by Heartland FC and 0 goals scored by Abia Warriors.

 

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