Spain’s Aitana Bonmati has won the FIFA World Player of the Year election for the second time in a row. The FC Barcelona midfielder was honored at the gala in Doha on Tuesday evening (December 17, 2024) and, after her triumph at the Ballon d’Or at the end of October, also won the second major individual award in world football. The Brazilian Vini Jr., who is under contract with Real Madrid, won the men’s event.
Bonmati won the Champions League with FC Barcelona last May, scoring 1-0 in the final against Olympique Lyon (2-0). The 26-year-old also became Spanish champion and cup winner with Barca last season.
Vini Jr. – reviled at the Ballon d’Or, now honored
The Brazilian Vinicius Junior is a FIFA World Player of the Year for the first time. The 24-year-old offensive player from Real Madrid beat, among others, the Spanish European champion Rodri and the two German national players Florian Wirtz (10th) and Toni Kroos (7th), who made it into the selection of the eleven best professionals.
Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid
Rodri came second, Jude Bellingham third. In the roll-call vote, Joshua Kimmich, as captain of the German national team, voted for Rodri in first place, Toni Kroos in second place and Florian Wirtz in third place.
This meant that Vinicius, who personally accepted the award on the eve of the Intercontinental Cup final between Real and CF Pachuca from Mexico, was able to win at least one of the two major individual awards in world football. Rodri won the Ballon d’Or at the end of October, which led to a scandal on Real’s part.
Kroos and Rüdiger in the “Team of the Year”
The Spanish record champions boycotted the event at short notice after it apparently leaked that neither Vinicius nor another Real professional would be the winner. Last season, the Madrilenians won the Champions League in addition to the Spanish championship. Vinicius was a decisive factor with his goals alongside his teammates Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham and Kroos, who were also nominated. All four were also voted into the “Team of the Year” together with the German national player Antonio Rüdiger.
No German woman in the final selection
The final selection for women took place without German participation. Only Ann-Katrin Berger was a candidate for the Goalkeeper of the Year award, but this went to the American Alyssa Naeher. In the men’s category, Argentina’s world champion goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was honored. All coaches and captains of the national teams as well as specialist journalists and fans were eligible to vote in the elections.
Ancelotti and Hayes are world coach and female coach, Alsono second
Carlo Ancelotti (65) and Emma Hayes (48) are world trainers and world trainers of the year. The result of the election of the world football association FIFA was announced on Tuesday evening in Doha. The Italian Ancelotti, coach of Real Madrid, received the award, which has been presented since 2010, for the first time. Double coach Xabi Alonso from Bayer Leverkusen came in second place, just behind Ancelotti, with Pep Guardiola from Manchester City a long way behind in third place.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti
It was the second honor for the Englishwoman Hayes, who has been the USA national coach since June. Both had already been awarded the Ballon d’Or in October. Ancelotti won the Champions League and the Spanish championship with Real Madrid last season. On Tuesday he prevailed against, among others, the Spanish national coach Luis de la Fuente and Xabi Alonso from the double winner Bayer Leverkusen.
Hayes, who had already won the award in 2021, had led Chelsea FC to their fifth championship title in a row before her involvement with the US association. At the Olympic Games in Paris, the USA won the gold medal under Hayes’ leadership.
Emma Hayes, USA national team coach