The 24-year-old, who helped Real Madrid win the Champions League and La Liga, beat nine other nominees including Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and record winner Lionel Messi. He is the first Brazilian to win since Kaka in 2007, and the sixth overall. It is his first major international award.
The awards were held at a dinner attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday, announced at one day's notice. This meant Bonmati could not attend as Barcelona are playing a Women's Champions League tie in Spain on Wednesday.
Most winners sent video messages instead of attending although with Real Madrid playing Mexican club Pachuca in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final in the city the following day Vinicius Jr was in attendance.
His club had snubbed the rival Ballon d'Or ceremony in October after being angry about Vinicius Jr not winning. This time Rodri came second by five points.
"I don't even know where to begin," Vinícius said. "All this was so far away that it seemed impossible to get here.
"I was a child who just played football barefoot on the streets of São Gonçalo, close to poverty and crime. Being here is very important to me because I am making many children see that it is not impossible to get here."
Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati retained the FIFA Best women's player she collected in person in 2023. (AP PHOTO)
US coach and former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes won the women's coach award for winning the Premier League and Olympics. Carlo Ancelotti took the men's prize having guided Madrid to a 15th European Cup and his fifth personally.
Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United received the Puskas Award for the Best men's goal for his overhead kick against Everton in the Premier League.
The women's equivalent gong, the inaugural Marta Award, was picked up by Marta herself after the Brazil star's strike in a friendly against Jamaica.
The Best women's goalkeeper was American Alyssa Naeher while the men's award went to Argentina and Aston Villa stopper Emiliano Martinez.
FIFA said the award winners were decided by an "equally weighted voting system" by fans, the current captains and coaches of all national teams, and media representatives, with the contenders selected based on their performances from August 21, 2023, to August 10, 2024.
with agencies
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