Real Madrid set to continue Ballon d'Or boycott ahead of 2025 ceremony

Emily Nicole

Real Madrid set to continue Ballon d'Or boycott ahead of 2025 ceremony image

Real Madrid are set to continue their boycott of the Ballon d'Or, despite nominations. 

The Spanish side withdrew from the 2024 ceremony at the last minute in protest, after Vinicius Junior missed out on the award to Manchester City's Rodri. 

Xabi Alonso's side are not expected to attend the ceremony on September 22.

Vini Jr is among the nominees again for the men's award, including Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe

Dean Huijsen and Thibault Courtois are also up for awards.

Real Madrid player and Scotland International, Caroline Wier is also in contention for the women's Ballon d'Or, while Linda Caicedo is up for the Kopa Trophy - for the best under-21 player.

They are not the only big names not to be in attendance to the 2025 ceremony. 

Paris Saint Germain will not appear, as their Ligue 1 fixture against Marseille was re-arranged for Monday night, however forward Ousmane Dembele could be in attendance. 

The French International is currently set to be out of action for six weeks after a severe right hamstring injury. 

Reports are circulating that some Barcelona nominees will also not attend. 

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Why did Real Madrid boycott the Ballon d'Or?

It all came down to Vini Jr's snub for the men's Ballon d'Or, which he lost out to Rodri. 

Despite the club winning 2024 Men's Club of the Year, and former boss Carlo Ancelotti winning 2024 Coach of the Year, Real's snub continues. 

The club's board believed Vini Jr should have won the award and argue the voting system for the awards doesn't value players properly. 

It's left a sour taste between both parties, which could be why Real will continue their boycott.

However there is a practicality factor - Los Blancos are set to travel to Levante for a La Liga fixture on September 23, which could also be why the side won't travel to Paris. 

Real Madrid failed to win silverware last season, which could mean their players aren't necessarily in the top running to win the award. This could also add to their continued withdrawal

Their four nominees however have been given permission by the board to attend the ceremony if they wish.

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Emily Nicole

Emily Nicole is a freelance contributor for The Sporting News. Emily is a sports journalist, with a passion for motorsport with professional experience across print, broadcast and social media. Emily holds a Journalism Bachelor’s Degree and a Media & Communications Master’s Degree, both from City, University of London. You can follow more of Emily's work on The F1 Rundown on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@thef1rundown).