Why don't Vinícius and Real Madrid go to the Ballon d'Or ceremony?

Real Madrid will boycott tonight Ballon d'Or Gala after learning that Vinícius JúniorBookmakers' favorite to win the men's World Player of the Year award is expected to lose to Manchester City and Spanish midfielder Rodrigo Hernández.

Real Madrid feels “disrespected”

A large Madrid delegation, consisting of about 50 people, was scheduled to fly to Paris for today's ceremony, which was to take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet. However, the Spanish and European champions Travel plans were put on hold just minutes before her departure this afternoonafter it emerged that Vinícius was unlikely to win the men's Ballon d'Or.

It was assumed in Madrid that the Brazilian might not win the trophy – but if that were the case, club officials felt the alternative winner should be Dani Carvajal. There is an atmosphere of dismay and anger in the club that Lionel Messi's successor as award winner will apparently not be a Madrid player, even though the club won LaLiga and the Champions League in the 2023/24 season. In a snub initiated by Vinícius himself – whose camp is said to be incredulous – the club has decided to stay away from the gala.

“If Vinícius is not declared the winner of the Ballon d'Or in accordance with the award criteria, The same criteria should declare Carvajal the winner“ said Real Madrid today. “As this is not the case, it is clear that Madrid are being treated disrespectfully by the Ballon d'Or and UEFA [European soccer’s governing body, which co-organises the award with the French sports publication France Football].”

Who else has Real Madrid nominated?

Vinícius is not the only representative of Madrid among the nominees for the award. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti is a contender for the new Men's Coach of the Year award. Arda Güler is in the running for the Kopa trophy, which is awarded to the best young player; and Andriy Lunin is a candidate for the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the men's best goalkeeper. Madrid was also nominated for the Men's Club of the Year award. But no one – not even Madrid's director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueño – will be in Paris to collect any of these awards should Los Blancos' candidate win.