NaijNaira
Real Madrid has made it clear they will once more stay away from the Ballon d’Or ceremony, deepening an already bitter standoff with the award’s organizers – www.naijnaira.com reports.
According to Spanish outlet AS, the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris will welcome football’s elite tonight, but the Madrid boardroom will once again be missing in action.
The tension started last year when the club pulled out of the gala after learning Manchester City’s Rodri had been picked ahead of Vinicius Jr. for the prize.
Their absence left organizers scrambling to remove nameplates for Vinicius and Jude Bellingham, while the Best Men’s Club award also went uncollected.
Madrid defended its no-show with a blunt statement: “Ballon d’Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
Carlo Ancelotti still won Coach of the Year in 2024, but he delivered his speech via video link, showing how wide the rift had grown.
Vinicius added to the defiance by writing online: “I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready.”
This year, Madrid president Florentino Perez is once again boycotting, though nominees were given freedom to attend if they wished.
With a LaLiga clash against Levante scheduled tomorrow, stars like Bellingham, Mbappe, and Vinicius are expected to skip the trip to Paris.
Caroline Weir could represent the women’s team, while Courtois, Linda Caicedo, and Dean Huijsen are also nominated but unlikely to attend.
Bookmakers are backing PSG’s Ousmane Dembele after his stunning 43-goal-contribution season helped secure a historic treble for the French side.
Youngster Lamine Yamal, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, and Napoli’s Scott McTominay are also in contention for football’s most prestigious prize.
Mbappe, despite being nominated himself, threw his weight behind Dembele, saying: “I’d deliver it to his house if it were up to me.”
