Those who were not ready to the 17th place: Vinicius a target of mockery at the Ballon d'Or

What happened to the Brazilian?

Vinicius Junior has fallen flat again. For the second year running, the Real Madrid and Brazil forward failed to deliver on his promise, slipping to 17th in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings before Monday evening's ceremony in London.

Two years ago, the picture looked very different. Vinicius was a frontrunner for the award after a stunning season that carried Real Madrid to the Champions League title.

Plenty expected the Brazilian to be crowned, but the prize went to Spain's Rodri, the former Manchester City and current Barcelona midfielder. Vinicius hit back on X: "I'll do it 10 times if I have to, they're not ready."

His slide began from that moment. He finished 16th in the 2025 edition, then dropped another place this year to 17th, a sign of just how far he has drifted from the player who lit up the world stage in 2024.

Social media pounced the moment his 17th place was confirmed. Fans dug up those comments from two years ago, when he vowed to win the award 10 times, and pointed to his tumble down the rankings as proof of how far his level has fallen since he was a genuine contender for the crown in 2024.

This decline goes beyond individual awards. Vinicius is enduring a tough spell at Real Madrid, with a modest start to the current campaign, criticism of his form and a drop in his attacking output all raising questions over whether he can win back his starting spot.

His place is now under more pressure than ever. Ivory Coast's Yan Diomande has shone of late, seizing every chance to produce eye-catching displays, and that leaves the Brazilian facing a real fight to rediscover his best.