Notably, Real Madrid, who were named Club of the Year, did not attend the Ballon d’Or presentation in Paris on Monday (October 28). Striker Vinicius Junior lost the Best Men’s Player title to Rodri of Manchester City by a slim margin.
After discovering that Vinicius would not receive the coveted award, the European champions opted not to go. According to AFP and Spanish media, Real Madrid’s officials refused to go to an event where they believed the team was “not respected”.
Both striker Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti received the highest individual distinctions, but neither was able to attend the ceremony to accept their awards. The 28-year-old Rodri of Spain won the men’s Ballon d’Or, surpassing Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid, who both put on outstanding performances. This was a thrilling showcase for Spanish talent.
Vinicius, 24, leads Real Madrid to Champions League and La Liga Triumphs
Real Madrid was upset about the latest award choices, believing that Vinicius’ colleague Dani Carvajal was unfairly left out of the running for the top honour. Given that Vinicius and Carvajal have both been crucial to the club’s success, this sentiment reflects the team’s mounting annoyance at not having their players’ outstanding on-field achievements acknowledged.
Discussions concerning the fairness and selection criteria of awards have been triggered by the circumstance, causing fans and pundits to wonder what this means for athletes who continuously put on exceptional performances yet go unrecognized.
The organizers stressed that the suspense is still there prior to the presentation, saying that “no player or club is aware of who has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or.” This statement ensures that the reveal will be a surprise to all parties concerned and heightens the excitement surrounding one of football’s most coveted prizes.