Will Real Madrid snub the Ballon d’Or ceremony again as organisers left sweating over Gala

Vishal Bhawani

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Will Real Madrid snub the Ballon d’Or ceremony again as organisers left sweating over Gala image

The Ballon d’Or is football’s glitziest night, but one of its biggest stars — Real Madrid — may not even show up.

After last year’s fallout over Vinicius Jr missing out on the top prize, questions are growing over whether Los Blancos will once again skip the gala in Paris this September.

The issue stems from Vinicius being widely tipped to win in 2024, only to lose out to Manchester City’s Rodri by a narrow margin.

Madrid’s response was swift and brutal: they pulled their entire delegation, including players and coaches, from the event.

The boycott left empty seats, abandoned speeches, and an awkward atmosphere at football’s grand showcase.

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Organizers have since tried to make peace. Reports (via Marca) in Spain say France Football and UEFA sent representatives to Madrid earlier this year to mend fences.

But the talks ended without progress, leaving the door open to another high-profile snub.

Madrid are not only frustrated by the Vinicius decision. Club sources reportedly questioned changes to the scoring rules and UEFA’s role in the process.

Given Real’s frosty relationship with UEFA over the Super League, the mix has proved toxic. One insider reportedly described last year’s outcome as a “historic robbery.”

For a club that has produced 12 Ballon d’Or winners — from Alfredo Di Stefano to Cristiano Ronaldo — the tension has cast a shadow over an award they once dominated.

The 2025 ceremony is set for September 22 in Paris, and stars like Ousmane Dembele, Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal are expected to be among the favorites.

Yet the question remains: will Real Madrid’s players be in the room, or will the organizers once again be left staging football’s Oscars without some of its biggest nominees?

For now, Madrid’s stance is clear. Unless something changes, the Bernabeu hierarchy may prefer to stay home and let the Ballon d’Or shine without them.

Real Madrid news and related links

Vishal Bhawani

Vishal Bhawani is a sub-editor for the Affiliate Content team and a writer and sub-editor for the Football Wires team at The Sporting News. Based in Indore, India, he holds a Diploma in Operations and Management from Maharashtra University.

Before joining TSN in May 2024, Vishal contributed to Football Express and Six Sports and ran his own blog, Anfield Home, as a passionate Liverpool fan. An avid traveler, he follows multiple sports, including cricket, soccer, and tennis.