Gary Neville Slams Vinicius Jr’s Reaction to Ballon d’Or Loss as ‘Classless’
Manchester United legend Gary Neville didn’t hold back when criticizing Vinicius Jr for his “classless” reaction to losing the Ballon d’Or to Rodri. In a heated statement, Neville called out the Brazilian for his “disrespectful” behavior toward his City rival, who was awarded the prestigious honor for his stellar season with Manchester City and Spain.
Vinicius, initially favored to win due to his impact in Real Madrid‘s Champions League, La Liga, and Spanish Super Cup successes, reportedly felt blindsided when a leak revealed that Rodri, who excelled for both club and country, would claim the prize. Furious, the Madrid camp decided not to attend the Paris ceremony in protest, leaving no one to accept the Men’s Club of the Year award on behalf of Los Blancos.
Reacting to the upset, Vinicius was unapologetic: “I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready.” Reports suggest that Vinicius had planned a celebration with 50 friends in Madrid but had to cancel, leaving him “devastated.”
Neville Applauds Rodri’s Consistency
On The Overlap US, Neville shared his frustration, saying, “Rodri is a players’ player… someone who brings an amazing influence to a team. He’s the best midfield player in the world by a mile.” For Neville, Rodri’s impact goes beyond stats—he’s a linchpin for both Manchester City and Spain. “They lost four or five games last season when he didn’t play,” Neville added, praising Rodri’s reliability and leadership.
Why Vinicius Jr Should’ve Shown More Class, According to Neville
While acknowledging Vinicius’ talent, Neville believes Madrid’s protest was a step too far: “I understand Madrid and Brazil fans being upset… but to disrespect Rodri like that? Outrageous.” Neville recalled last year’s controversy over Lionel Messi winning the award and compared it to Madrid’s reaction, which he called “next level.”
Neville continued: “Rodri is a class-act on and off the pitch. What I would have liked to see was Vinicius still attend, congratulate Rodri, maybe even invite him to his party and say, ‘Next year, I’ll get it!’ That’s class.” Instead, Neville felt the Madrid delegation’s boycott showed a sense of entitlement, noting, “There were five Real Madrid players awarded, and none of them showed up.”
He concluded by acknowledging Vinicius’ potential to one day win the Ballon d’Or but argued that showing humility would have resonated far better. “Vinicius is amazing, he’s going to win it one day,” Neville said. “But this reaction? It just feels classless.”
