By Sammy Mburu

Vinicius Junior was named the FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year title at a ceremony held in Doha, Qatar, in recognition of his stellar 2024 season with Real Madrid. 

The 24-year-old Brazilian forward was instrumental in Madrid's success, scoring 32 goals across all competitions as the club claimed both the UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles.

The award comes two months after he controversially missed out on the Ballon d'Or, which was awarded to Manchester City and Spanish midfielder Rodri.

His key performances included scoring in the Champions League final, where Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0, and a hat-trick in the Spanish Super Cup, a 4-1 victory over rivals Barcelona. 

Real Madrid boycotted the Ballon d’Or ceremony in protest, but Vinicius was present to accept his FIFA accolade. 

Madrid Stars Shine in Team of the Year

Vinicius was joined by teammates Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, Jude Bellingham, and Toni Kroos in the FIFA Team of the Year.

Players from the Premier League were also recognized, with Erling Haaland and William Saliba included in the team, and Emiliano Martinez named The Best FIFA Goalkeeper.

Carlo Ancelotti was awarded the Best FIFA Men’s Coach after guiding Real Madrid to a remarkable 2024 season, securing both the UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles. This follows his runner-up finish in the previous edition.

Bonmati Wins Women’s Player of the Year 

In the women’s category, Aitana Bonmati claimed her second consecutive FIFA Best Women’s Player award.

The Barcelona midfielder played a pivotal role in her club’s UEFA Women’s Champions League triumph and Spain’s UEFA Nations League victory. 

Emma Hayes was named The Best FIFA Women’s Coach. The former Chelsea manager, now coaching the U.S. women’s national team, was recognized for leading Chelsea to a fifth consecutive Women’s Super League title and guiding Team USA to Olympic gold.