{
  "id": 6583052,
  "title": "2024 Socrates award winner’s brother makes shocking claim on Vinicius: ‘They told him he was going to win Ballon d’Or’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/2024-socrates-award-winners-brother-makes-shocking-claim-on-vinicius",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-10T12:05:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/2024-socrates-award-winner-brother-120500400.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the aftermath of the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, rumors circulated that Vinicius Jr. was expecting to receive the prestigious award. However, the Real Madrid forward was surprisingly replaced by Rodri as the winner, causing the player to fall into a state of breakdown. This left many wondering if the player had been informed of his victory or if the news was merely media speculation. A surprising revelation emerged when Jenni Hermoso's brother claimed on social media that Vinicius Jr. had been told he had won the Ballon d'Or before the ceremony. He stated that the family was invited to dine with the award's organizers and informed that the Brazilian was set to receive the accolade, with his trophy cabinet prepared for the event. According to the brother, there was a conversation between Jenni and Vinicius about their planned exchange of awards, with his sister to present him with the Ballon d'Or and he in return presenting her award for social merits. Since this revelation, Vinicius Jr. has struggled to maintain his performance levels, and it remains uncertain whether the claims made by his brother are true. Nonetheless, Vinicius continues to compete for the individual honor at the 2026 Ballon d'Or, alongside Real Madrid teammates Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Marc Cucurella.",
  "summary": "The Ballon d’Or ceremony of 2024, many believe, was the point where Vinicius Jr. ceased to be his usual self.The Real Madrid superstar was poised to be named the best player on the planet on that ni...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}