Why are Vinícius and Real Madrid not going to the Ballon d’Or ceremony?

Real Madrid are set to boycott tonight’s Ballon d’Or gala after learning that Vinícius Júnior, who has been the bookmakers’ favourite to win the men’s world-player-of-the-year award, is poised to lose out to Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodrigo Hernández.

Real Madrid feel “disrespected”

A large Madrid delegation, comprising around 50 people, had been due to fly to Paris for today’s ceremony, which is to be held at the Theatre du Chatelet. However, the Spanish and European champions’ travel plans were shelved just minutes before their departure this afternoon, after it emerged that Vinícius is not expected to win the Men’s Ballon d’Or.

At Madrid, there had been an acceptance that the Brazilian might not be awarded the trophy - but, were that the case, club officials felt the alternative winner should be Dani Carvajal. Within the club, there is a mood of shock and anger that, seemingly, Lionel Messi’s successor as the prize’s recipient won’t be a Madrid player, despite the club winning LaLiga and the Champions League in the 2023/24 season. In a snub initiated by Vinícius himself - whose camp is said to be incredulous - the club have opted to stay away from the gala.

“If, under the prize criteria, Vinícius isn’t proclaimed winner of the Ballon d’Or, those same criteria ought to proclaim Carvajal the winner,” was the word today from Real Madrid. “As this isn’t the case, it’s clear that Madrid are being disrespected by the Ballon d’Or and UEFA [European soccer’s governing body, which co-organises the award with the French sports publication France Football].”

Who else is nominated from Real Madrid?

Vinícius isn’t the only Madrid representative among the awards nominees. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti is a contender for the new Men’s Coach of the Year prize; Arda Güler is in the running for the Kopa Trophy, given to the best young men’s player; and Andriy Lunin is a nominee for the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the best men’s goalkeeper. Madrid have also been shortlisted for the Men’s Club of the Year accolade. But nobody - not even Madrid’s director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueño - will be in Paris to pick up any of these prizes, should Los Blancos’ nominee win.