Controversial Billboard in London: ‘Does Viní Jr. Play Tennis?’ After Missing Out on the Ballon d’Or!

This weekend, a billboard featuring Vinícius Jr., a Real Madrid player, was unveiled in London, the capital of the United Kingdom.

Naturally, this follows the Brazilian’s exclusion from the Ballon d’Or this week. Vinícius, who was thought to be the long-term favorite to win the title of world football’s greatest for 2024, had to settle for second place. This occurred as Rodri, a midfielder for Manchester City, won the Ballon d’Or.

Fans, athletes, and media representatives from all over the world have been quick to voice their displeasure with the outcome in the days following Vinícius’ rejection, insisting that the 24-year-old deserved to be named the game’s best player.

And as said above, this kind of response has reached London this weekend.

This comes after the city unveiled a billboard with the words, “Does Vini Jr. play tennis?”—a popular social media expression used when a player is somehow overlooked: