Soccer

Former Flamengo player Vini Jr remains Arab football's biggest dream

Cria do Ninho becomes the most valuable player in the world, valued at 200 million euros, and is favorite for the Ballon d'Or award

12 Out 2024 | 18:41 |

Brazilian Vini Jr, Real Madrid striker and former Flamengo, reached an impressive milestone this week by becoming the most valuable football player in the world, with an estimated market value of 200 million euros, around R$1 .2 billion. The new evaluation puts him ahead of stars like Kylian Mbappé, with whom he competed for the position, and equals him with Erling Haaland, also from Real Madrid.

The survey was carried out by the specialized website Transfermarkt, which indicated that Vini Jr's market value has doubled in the last three years, highlighting his meteoric evolution in world football. This appreciation puts him at the top of the international scene, and yet he continues to attract interest from clubs outside of Europe.

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SAUDI INVESTMENT: INTEREST IN AL-HILAL

Despite Vini Jr's high market value and importance for Real Madrid, Saudi Arabia did not give up trying to sign him. The country's sovereign investment fund aims to take him to Al-Hilal, a team that already includes Neymar. According to information from the Spanish newspaper 'Marca', a new offer will be presented to Real Madrid by the middle of next year.

However, the Spanish club trusts in Vini Jr's stay, supported by an astronomical termination clause of 1 billion euros (around R$6.1 billion) and by the player's own will, who has already rejected a previous proposal from Saudi Arabia. The athlete's desire is to continue building his career in European football, where he has established himself as one of the biggest stars.

GOLDEN BALL: FAVORITE FOR THE AWARD

In addition to being the most valuable player, Vini Jr is one of the main favorites for the Ballon d'Or Award, whose ceremony will take place on the 28th of this month. A new feature in this year's edition is that the winner will only be known during the event, unlike previous editions, when the winner's name was revealed in advance.

The Brazilian striker has been identified as one of the protagonists of the 2023/24 season, which puts him in a good position to win football's most prestigious individual award. However, the decision will be made live, increasing expectations for the event.

Twitter:@pabloraphaelrua

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