Neymar sends out strong message on Rodrygo's Ballon d'Or snub after Real Madrid star joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in being left off shortlist

Neymar has sent out a strong message after seeing Rodrygo left off the Ballon d’Or shortlist, claiming his fellow Brazilian is “minimum top five”.

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WHAT HAPPENED?
Real Madrid forward Rodrygo savoured La Liga and Champions League title glory in 2023-24. He made over 50 appearances for the Blancos in all competitions, scoring 17 goals, and has moved on to 27 senior caps for his country.

THE BIGGER PICTURE
All of those achievements have been overlooked by France Football when compiling their list of 30 contenders for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Real stars such as Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal and new ‘Galactico’ Kylian Mbappe are in the running for a prestigious Golden Ball.
WHAT NEYMAR SAID
Rodrygo has been snubbed, alongside record-breaking GOATs Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Neymar is stunned to see the exploits of his compatriot being ignored, with Brazil’s all-time leading scorer posting on social media in support of his 23-year-old international colleague: “Minimum top 5 in the world! Ace.”
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WHAT NEXT?
Rodrygo has done his best to laugh off a shock Ballon d’Or omission, with the talented forward posting a montage of trophy-winning images on Instagram. He has already been among the goals for Real this season, as he looks to form a devastating partnership with Vinicius and Mbappe.

WHAT HAPPENED?