Real Madrid Win Best Club But Absent From Ballon d’Or Ceremony

Real Madrid were named Club of the Year at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday, but they declined to attend after learning forward Vinicius Junior would not receive the top honour for best men’s player, which went to Manchester City’s Rodri.

The European champions reportedly stated they would not attend a ceremony “where they are not respected,” according to AFP and Spanish media sources.

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Real Madrid’s manager Carlo Ancelotti and forward Kylian Mbappe won individual awards but also skipped the event.

Spain international Rodri, 28, took home the men’s Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of Vinicius and his Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham. Vinicius, who was Real Madrid’s top scorer in their La Liga and Champions League-winning season, responded on X, writing: “I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready.”

Reports suggest Real Madrid believed that Dani Carvajal, another of their players, was also unfairly overlooked for the main award.

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“If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner,” the club said in a statement to AFP and Spanish media.

“As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or-Uefa does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”

But prior to the ceremony organisers said “no player or club knows who has won the Ballon d’Or”.

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