Real Madrid decided that if Vinicius Junior was not going to win the Ballon d’Or, then they would not be present in Paris to see someone else pick it up. Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri Hernandez is the hot favourite to win it.
Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal were also nominated, while Carlo Ancelotti was in the running for the coaching award, but none of them will be present at the gala on Monday night. Los Blancos are reportedly furious, with Marca saying that for the club, ‘the Ballon d’Or no longer exists’, not understanding that the journalists voting preferred to award it to someone else.
The club had organised a five-hour long marathon to cover the Ballon d’Or on RMTV, their channel, but that has been cancelled. As has Vinicius’ big party. The Brazlian had booked a venue to accommodate 50 people in Paris to celebrate his achievement afterwards, but that too has been scrapped. Nike had also intended to colour their Real Madrid shops in the Spanish capital gold to pay tribute to Vinicius, but that idea has also been discarded.
Sport say that President Florentino Perez prohibited Vinicius from traveling, but Diario AS contradict that idea, claiming that it was in fact the star winger that suggested not going, and he was backed by his teammates. Los Blancos also feel that if it was not to be Vinicius, it had to be Carvajal, rather than Bellingham.
Back in Brazil, former international Ludmila Silva implied that racism was at the heart of the decision, writing on X that her son will have to be ‘twice as good’ because he is black. This is the first year that UEFA are co-organising the award with France Football, and they theorise that the tension between the two organisations is behind the decision, despite it being voted on by 100 journalists from around the world.
An off the record spokesperson for Real Madrid had the following to say.
“If the award criteria do not give Vinicius as the winner, those same criteria should give Carvajal as the winner. As this has not been the case, it is clear that the UEFA Ballon d’Or does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
It is hard to remember the Ballon d’Or causing so much irritation to a club simply for one of their players not winning it. As a general rule, Real Madrid tend to do their best to back players for individual awards.