Vinicius Junior 'already knows' he's won 2024 Ballon d'Or with Nike planning special tribute that will put Real Madrid star alongside Cristiano Ronaldo

According to Marca, Vinicius has been informed he will win his first Golden Ball at the 2024 awards ceremony in Paris on October 28. The Brazilian is set to beat Real Madrid team-mate Jude Bellingham and Manchester City star Rodri to the prestigious individual prize, which was won for a record-breaking eighth time by Lionel Messi in 2023.

Marca adds that Vinicius Junior's boot sponsors Nike are planning a special tribute for the Real Madrid winger as they prepare to reopen their Gran Via superstore in Madrid two days after the Ballon d'Or ceremony. Vinicius will be included on a special golden display alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who won four of his five Golden Balls while on Madrid's books.

Vinicius Junior will be a deserving winner of the 2024 Ballon d'Or after inspiring Real Madrid's run to a La Liga and Champions League double last season. The Brazil international scored 24 goals, including one in the Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund, and set up another 11 in 39 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos.

Vinicius' focus is currently locked on Real's next La Liga outing against Alaves at Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, where they will be seeking a victory to close the gap on leaders Barcelona. He already has six appearances under his belt in the Spanish top flight this season, in which he has registered five goal contributions while working alongside summer signing Kylian Mbappe.