Jude Bellingham has joked that he and Vinicius Jr could both win the Ballon d’Or by splitting it in two.
Bellingham has enjoyed an outstanding debut season at Real Madrid having won LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup.
Bellingham and Vinicius Jr have tasted huge success in their first season togetherCredit: Getty
He could also win the Champions League against his former club Borussia Dortmund in the final on Saturday to secure a treble.
The midfielder has scored 23 goals and assisted 12 others throughout his 41 appearances across all competitions, a hugely impressive tally.
Such a season has made him a favourite for this year’s Ballon d’Or, a highly prestigious award held by eight-time winner Lionel Messi.
However, Bellingham cut a humble yet humorous figure when asked about his chances of winning alongside teammate Vinicius Jr.
“For me, Vinicius is the best in the world,” he said via The Athletic reporter Guillermo Rai. “He creates magic out of nothing.
“He has everything to be the best. If that’s how he feels [Vinicius said Bellingham is the best], then you can split it in two [laughs].”
Vinicius Jr has also proven his world-class quality at Madrid this season with 23 goals and 11 assists in 38 appearances.
The Brazilian international finished sixth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings and ahead of Bellingham, who came 18th out of the top 30.
Both players are tipped to contend for this year’s Ballon d’Or awardCredit: Getty
Should Madrid win the Champions League though, then both players could hold very strong chances of winning the trophy later this year.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side will arrive at Wembley on Saturday as favourites but Dortmund will fancy their chances amid their success so far.
They beat last year’s runners-up Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the knockout stages en route to the final.
Bellingham and Vinicius Jr could play decisive roles in the match and taste further success at the European Championship and Copa America, respectively, this summer.
And should they further add to their accolades on an international level, then Ballon d’Or glory could be in their sights in 2024.
