The Ballon d’Or organizers have addressed Vinicius Jr.’s and numerous Real Madrid players’ absence from Monday’s ceremony, which was caused by the club’s last-minute decision to withdraw.
Vinicius, a strong contender for the top football prize, was eventually surpassed by Rodri of Manchester City.
Real Madrid reportedly withdrew from the ceremony after discovering Vinicius would not be awarded the top prize.
Vincent Garcia, the editor-in-chief of France Football, which organizes the Ballon d’Or, explained the decision, noting that Vinicius likely missed out because Real Madrid teammates like Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal were also competing within the top ranks.
“Vinicius likely lost points due to the presence of Bellingham and Carvajal in the top five, as the judges’ votes were spread among them, which ultimately benefited Rodri,” Garcia said.
Garcia also commented on the tension surrounding Madrid’s withdrawal: “I faced a lot of pressure from Real Madrid, but I remained fair and clear in my actions. Their absence from the event was surprising and disappointing.”
Following the announcement, Real Madrid President Florentino Perez was reportedly angered by the result.
Journalist Jose Luis Sanchez claimed that a 50-person Madrid delegation had been scheduled to attend the event but canceled upon learning Vinicius wouldn’t win.
Sources within the club expressed frustration, with ESPN Brazil citing the snub as a “historic robbery,” while Spanish publication Marca reported that Madrid insiders have declared, “the Ballon d’Or no longer exists for us.”
The club further stated to AFP, “If the award criteria didn’t recognize Vinicius, then Carvajal should have been the choice. This omission indicates that Ballon d’Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid, and we do not attend where we aren’t respected.”
