Uganda’s 2024 Ballon d’Or vote has ignited a global debate after Real Madrid president Florentino Perez publicly criticized the ranking of Brazilian star Vinicius Junior.
The Daily Monitor journalist Allan Daren Kyeyune placed the Real Madrid winger in eighth position, despite his pivotal role in the club’s Champions League and La Liga triumphs.
How Uganda Voted
* Rodri (Manchester City/Spain)
* Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
* Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid/Spain)
* Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan/Argentina)
* Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England)
* Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain/France)
* Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway)
* Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/Brazil)
* Phil Foden (Manchester City/England)
* Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/Nigeria)
Perez expressed his discontent with the voting process, specifically targeting journalists from Uganda, Namibia, Albania, and Finland for not awarding Vinicius a single vote in the top three.
He claimed that had these votes been different, Vinicius would have been crowned the Ballon d’Or winner.
“If the journalists from Uganda had not voted, Vinicius would be the Ballon d’Or winner,” Perez stated.
He further criticized the voting system, questioning the credibility of votes from countries with lesser-known footballing scenes.
