DOHA: Brazil and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was named FIFA men’s player of the year in Doha on Tuesday, with Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati winning the women’s award for the second year in a row.

Vinicius scored 24 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions to help Real Madrid clinch the La Liga and Champions League double, and he also netted in their Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund.

The Brazilian won the award ahead of Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri and his team-mate at Real, England’s Jude Bellingham.

The 24-year-old, who narrowly missed out on the Ballon d’Or to Rodri in October, was in Doha to collect the award, with Real in Qatar for Wednesday’s FIFA Intercont­inental Cup final against Mexico’s Pachuca.

“It seemed impossible when I played barefoot in the streets of Sao Goncalo and now I’m here,” Vinicius said.

Vinicius succeeds Lionel Messi as the FIFA Best men’s player after the Argentinian scooped up the last two editions of the award.

But it was not all plain sailing last season for Vinicius as he endured a disappointing Copa America with the Brazilian national team over the summer.

He scored two goals in a group-stage win against Paraguay, but his side ultimately crashed out on penalties to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.

Bonmati retained the FIFA women’s player of the year award ahead of Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen, having also won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive year in October.

The 26-year-old helped her club to a domestic treble last season in a campaign in which Barca also retained the Champions League, and Bonmati scored in the semi-final and final when Spain won the Nations League in February.

“I’m very grateful for this award, but I always say that this is a team effort, with a Barca that won everything and the national team,” Bonmati said.

Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti won the best men’s coach award, after the Italian led his club to the league and Champions League double last season.

“I want to share this with the club, with my president and with my players, those of the best club in the world,” Ancelotti said.

Emma Hayes won the best women’s coach award, after taking the US to the gold medal at this year’s Olympic Games having taken Chel­sea to the WSL title last season, her fifth successive league win with the club.

Manchester United’s Argentine forward Alejandro Garnacho won the Puskas award for the best goal of the year for his spectacular bicycle kick against Everton in the Premier League in November last year.

Brazil’s Marta won the inaugural Marta Award, for the best goal in women’s football, taking the prize named in her honour for her goal against Jamaica in June of this year.

The best women’s goalkeeper award went to Ameri­can Alyssa Naeher of the Chicago Red Stars while Emiliano Martinez of Argen­tina and Aston Villa took the men’s award.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2024