By Joshua Browne
Vinicius Junior has received the backing of none other than Brazil legend Ronaldo to win this year's Ballon d'Or, with the former Real Madrid forward hailing Los Blancos' current no.7 as "the best player in the world by far".
Vinicius enjoyed a domestic campaign to remember, having played a key role in Madrid's claiming of the La Liga title and finding the net in the team's recent Champions League final triumph over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
With 24 goals scored across all competitions, the 23-year-old is a strong contender for the Ballon d'Or, and if he wins, he would become the fifth Brazilian to receive the prestigious prize, following Kaka, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and Ronaldo (twice).
"I think Vini already deserves [the Ballon d'Or]," the latter told ESPN. "I think his time has come. He's had a spectacular Champions League, a spectacular La Liga, and he's been evolving more and more.
"He's been extremely decisive this year for Real Madrid. For me, today, he's the best player in the world by far.
"I remember that I did his presentation the day he arrived at Real Madrid and I got on well with him. I talk to Vini a lot about football and certain details and, looking at everything that's happened, it's a fantastic development that he's making."
Ronaldo joined Real Madrid for €46m in 2002, becoming part of the Galacticos era alongside global stars such as Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and David Beckham.
In four-and-a-half seasons at the club, he scored over a century of goals, joining an elite group of foreign players at Madrid to achieve the feat, which includes Argentine Alfredo Di Stefano, Hungarian Ferenc Puskas, Mexican Hugo Sanchez, and Chilean Ivan Zamorano.
READ THE LATEST REAL MADRID NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP
This article was originally published on 90min.com as Brazil legend claims Vinicius Junior is best player in the world.
