Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior and Barcelona's Aitana Bonmatí were named the top male and female players at the FIFA Football Awards in Doha on Tuesday, capping off remarkable years for both athletes.
Vinícius, who previously missed out on the Ballon d'Or to Manchester City's Rodri, received redemption at the FIFA ceremony. The Brazilian forward, who had notably skipped the Paris Ballon d'Or ceremony in October out of disappointment, was present to collect his award while in Qatar for Real Madrid's Intercontinental Cup final against Pachuca.
Bonmatí continued her extraordinary run of success, securing her second consecutive FIFA best women's player award. The Barcelona star also claimed the Ballon d'Or this year and was part of a triumphant Barcelona team that won the Spanish league, Spanish cup, and Champions League in 2024.
Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti was named best men's coach after guiding the team to their 15th UEFA Champions League title and another La Liga triumph. In the women's coaching category, Emma Hayes won recognition for her achievements, including Olympic gold with the United States and a fifth consecutive Women's Super League title with Chelsea.
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho won the prestigious Puskas Award for his spectacular overhead kick against Everton in November 2023. In the newly established women's equivalent, the FIFA Marta Award, Brazil's legendary Marta was honored for her remarkable solo goal against Jamaica in an international friendly.
The awards ceremony celebrated individual excellence across men's and women's football, highlighting the outstanding performances of players and coaches in the past year.