Spanish club calls the results “historic robbery,” fueling a fresh debate over the award process
The Ballon d’Or ceremony took an unexpected turn when Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr., a top contender for the award, and his fellow Madrid players did not attend the event on Monday evening. In a surprising result, Manchester City midfielder Rodri was awarded the 2024 Ballon d’Or, edging out Vinicius for the top spot despite his standout season at Real Madrid. Reports surfaced that Real Madrid officials felt the decision was a “historic robbery,” and sources claimed the club even had a 50-person delegation ready to attend before learning Vinicius would not win.
After the ceremony, France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia explained that Real Madrid’s season performance, with multiple players in the top ranks, may have diluted individual votes for Vinicius. “Vinicius surely suffered from the presence of Bellingham and Carvajal in the top 5, which took points away from him and benefited Rodri,” Garcia noted. “I was surprised by Real Madrid’s absence, but the selection process was fair and consistent.”
Real Madrid’s reaction was fierce. ESPN Brazil reported that the club, believing Vinicius’s performance merited the award, felt the outcome lacked respect for their players. “If the award criteria don’t give it to Vinicius, those same criteria should point to Carvajal,” a club statement to AFP read. “It’s clear that Ballon d’Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid, and we do not go where we aren’t respected.”
Vinicius’s absence wasn’t the only setback for Madrid on the evening. Although they celebrated Carlo Ancelotti’s win as Men’s Manager of the Year and picked up the Team of the Year title, Madrid’s perennial rival, Barcelona, took home two prestigious awards as well. Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player, and Aitana Bonmatí captured her second women’s Ballon d’Or, underscoring La Masia’s developmental prowess.
The Ballon d’Or organizers released a statement clarifying that no players or clubs were informed of the winner beforehand. Yet, with tensions high, Real Madrid insiders reportedly told Marca, “The Ballon d’Or no longer exists for us.”
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