Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr., widely tipped as the favourite for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, has been shockingly passed over for the prestigious award, which will reportedly go to Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri.
News of the decision has sent shockwaves through the Santiago Bernabeu, with the club reacting fiercely, calling the decision an “injustice” and cancelling all planned festivities.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and a 50-member delegation had initially prepared to travel to Paris for the awards gala, but the entire plan was scrapped in a matter of hours.
🚨💣 It was Manchester City who informed Real Madrid that Rodri was going to win the Ballon d’Or. #BallonDor
(Source: @JLSanchez78 ) pic.twitter.com/Z6Vd7xDBW3
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) October 28, 2024
Real Madrid’s anger over the Ballon d’Or selection criteria is intense.
Following a stellar season in which Vinicius delivered 24 goals and 11 assists across 39 matches, contributing significantly to Real Madrid’s Champions League and La Liga titles, many felt the Brazilian forward was deserving of the individual accolade.
A club spokesperson was quoted as saying, “The Ballon d’Or no longer exists for us right now,” reflecting the depth of the club’s disappointment and scepticism regarding the selection process.
🚨 OFFICIEL ! 𝗟𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗥𝗜𝗗 𝗕𝗢𝗬𝗖𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗘 𝗟𝗔 𝗖𝗘́𝗥𝗘́𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗘 𝗗𝗨 #𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗗𝗼𝗿 !!! ❌😱
🗞️ AFP pic.twitter.com/KkzOM4Ionh
— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) October 28, 2024
The Ballon d’Or, first awarded in 1956, has historically honoured the finest talent in football each year.
However, Real Madrid claims the current criteria no longer reflects the true essence of the sport’s excellence.
Sources at the club reportedly stated, “If Vinicius is not the winner, the same criteria should proclaim Carvajal the winner.”
This sharp criticism underscores Madrid’s feeling of being overlooked, not just for Vinicius but also for their other stars who made significant contributions on the pitch.
Despite securing titles and delivering a series of match-winning performances, Real Madrid’s players—Vinicius, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal—were snubbed.
As a result, the club has decided to boycott the Ballon d’Or, cancelling five hours of special programming on Real Madrid TV dedicated to the ceremony.
No longer will the prestigious trophy appear in Real Madrid’s official discourse, at least for the foreseeable future.
⚽️📸 Así fue la llegada de Rodrigo de cara a la Gala del Balón de Oro de esta noche
📹 @AranchaMOBILE pic.twitter.com/8mdQknIZbP
— Tiempo de Juego (@tjcope) October 28, 2024
This marks a rare moment of open dissent between Real Madrid and the Ballon d’Or, a departure from the club’s longstanding tradition of celebrating its winners, including stars like Alfredo Di Stefano, Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo, and most recently, Karim Benzema in 2022.
The decision to cancel their participation in the 2024 Ballon d’Or underscores Real Madrid’s new stance: the focus now returns to on-field action, particularly following their recent 4-0 defeat to Barcelona.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly echoed the club’s decision, urging the players to move beyond the disappointment and direct their energy toward upcoming challenges.
