Wednesday, during the press conference preceding the match against Venezuela for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the Brazilian coach responded to the Monegasque winger’s statements Vanderson, also in the Brazilian national team, according to which “the real winner” of the Ballon d’Or was Vinicius Junior.
The Real Madrid winger missed out on the prestigious award after receiving fewer votes than Spanish player Rodri.
Dorival Junior asked to turn the page because, according to him, the player’s greatest achievement “is to have earned the respect of the Brazilian people“. He also said that he is a player who “reinvents himself at all times”, who “has gone through (difficult) situations during his career” and who “has not lost his status of protagonist”.
The coach qualified the final result d’injustice“because of a “error of those who evaluated it” because, individually, the Real Madrid striker “was the most important, most decisive and perhaps the most lethal player” of last season.
The five-time world champions will face Venezuela Thursday in Maturin during the 11th day of the qualifying phase for the 2026 World Cup, and next Tuesday they will face Uruguay in Salvador.
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