Real Madrid president blasted in Ballon d'Or row

A Namibian journalist criticised by Florentino Pérez for failing to vote for Vinícius Júnior to win the 2024 men's Ballon d'Or has hit back at the Real Madrid president.

Madrid boycotted the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris last month over the decision to award the prize -- which is voted on by a panel of 100 international journalists -- to Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri , ahead of Vinícius.

In his speech during Madrid's AGM on Sunday, Pérez singled out the votes of the journalists from Namibia, Uganda, Albania and Finland for criticism, saying "nobody knows who [the journalists] are" and arguing the Ballon d'Or should be "independently organised" and voted on by "people who are well-known."

"Essentially, I suspect it's just words from somebody who is frustrated, Mr Perez that is," journalist Sheefeni Nikodemus told Cadena SER's El Larguero show on Monday. "If he feels like people from my country, and the other countries mentioned do not have a significant, vote because we are inferior people, I would just like to know, if I was from one of the leading football nations, and I disagreed with his opinion, what would his argument be?"

Vinícius was a leading contender to win the men's Ballon d'Or thanks to his performances last season as Madrid won a LaLiga and Champions League double. However, he underperformed for Brazil at last summer's Copa América, while Rodri starred as Spain won Euro 2024.

In the vote -- which sees journalists rank their top 10 players from a shortlist, with each being awarded between 15 and 1 points -- Rodri finished with a total of 1,170 points, ahead of Vinicius' 1,129.

Madrid's Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal finished third and fourth in the poll.

When it emerged that Vinícius would not receive the prize, Madrid made the decision to collectively skip the ceremony -- organised by France Football and, for the first time this year, UEFA -- despite Carlo Ancelotti having been named coach of the year, and Madrid team of the year.

"Rodri is a great player, he's from Madrid, and he has our affection," Pérez said on Sunday. "He deserved a Ballon d'Or, but not this one. He deserved it the year before. This year, the Ballon d'Or should have gone to a Real Madrid player: Vinícius, or our captain Dani Carvajal, or even Jude Bellingham.

"Some of [the voters] didn't even include Vinicius in the top 10. Can anyone understand journalists not thinking Vinícius is one of the best in the world? Without Namibia, Uganda, Albania and Finland, Vinícius would have won the Ballon d'Or. And those countries didn't even vote for Vinicius. Not one! The Finn, at least, has resigned.

"Personally, I think the Ballon d'Or should be organised independently, and the votes should be in the hands of well-known, prestigious people with a reputation in the football world."