Sports
Rafa Hermoso, brother of former Spanish national team player Jenni Hermoso, has unveiled surprising details surrounding Real Madrid's Brazilian star, Vinicius Junior, and his unexpected loss of the 2024 Ballon d'Or. Vinicius, a prominent winger, was widely considered a strong contender for the accolade that year, which ultimately went to Spain's Rodri, described as a current Barcelona and former Manchester City player. Hermoso shared his account via an Instagram post, explaining that Vinicius Junior informed them during a dinner at his home—where Jenni was also present—that he had been notified of his victory. Subsequently, the player had made special preparations to receive the award at his residence. Rafa elaborated on this disclosure, stating: "Look, I will tell you a secret almost no one knows, but I think I can now recount its details." Hermoso further detailed the dinner, adding: "Vinicius Junior invited us to his home for dinner to discuss an important matter, and the truth is, the Real Madrid player was told he would win the Ballon d'Or." He described how Vinicius had specifically allocated a space within one of his home's cabinets for the anticipated golden ball. Rafa also mentioned that his sister, Jennifer, was slated to receive an award during the same ceremony for her contributions and career. A pre-arranged agreement for the exchange of awards existed: "My sister was supposed to receive an award in recognition of her social contributions or something similar, and we agreed that my sister would present him with the Ballon d'Or, while Vinicius would present that award to my sister, and then you all know what happened." This revelation sheds further light on the events preceding the 2024 Ballon d'Or gala, an event Real Madrid openly boycotted. The club's protest stemmed from Vinicius Junior not being crowned, especially given the widespread predictions at the time strongly indicated his potential victory.
