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A member of the Ballon d’Or jury has stepped down after owning up to a blunder in his votes.
Juha Kanerva, a journalist from the Finnish outlet Ilta-Sanomat, recently resigned from his role as a Ballon d’Or selector.
Karneva made the decision after excluding Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr in his top ten choices for the prestigious award.
This omission has sparked considerable controversy, especially considering Vinicius's stellar season, having played a crucial role in Real Madrid’s Champions League success.
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Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d’Or by a narrow margin, with Vinicius falling short by just 41 points.
Kanerva resigns after Vinicius Ballon d’Or error
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The difference raised questions about the voting process, and when a Real Madrid fan highlighted Kanerva’s oversight on social media, it quickly became a trending topic.
Kanerva subsequently acknowledged his mistake and announced his resignation on X, stating:
“This was my technical fault, for which I take responsibility. I am leaving my place as Ballon d'Or selector.”
The decision also drew attention to two other journalists, Bruno Porzio from El Salvador and Sheefeni Nikodemus from Namibia, who similarly omitted Vinicius from their lists.
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Despite submissions from 99 countries, Vinicius’s absence from the Ballon d'Or podium and ceremony highlighted the growing controversy surrounding the award and voting transparency.
Although Kanerva selected Rodri as his top pick, with Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham following close behind, his choices included players like Super Eagles star Adelina Lookman, William Saliba, and Dani Carvajal.
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