The Ballon d’Or. The golden crown of individual glory in football. The award that sparks endless debates, divides fanbases, and fuels Twitter wars every single year.
But this time, the biggest story isn’t who will lift it — it’s about who won’t even bother showing up.
Yes, Real Madrid — the club that has produced more Ballon d’Or winners than any other in history — are once again ready to snub football’s most glamorous night.
Why Are Real Madrid and the Ballon d’Or at War?
The relationship between Real Madrid and the Ballon d’Or organisers has always been complicated, but in the past two years, it has reached boiling point.
Last year, the club stunned the football world by boycotting the ceremony at the very last minute.
Madrid had planned to attend, players were dressed for the gala, and the spotlight was ready. But then came the twist: news leaked that Vinicius Jr. — who many at the club felt deserved the honour — would not win.
Instead, the award went to Manchester City’s Rodri.
Florentino Pérez and Madrid’s top brass took it as a snub. Within hours, they pulled the plug on attending altogether.
No white shirts, no royal presence, no smiles for the cameras. Just silence — and a message sent loud and clear: if you don’t respect our players, we won’t respect your stage.
Last year, Carlo Ancelotti was named Coach of the Year, but Real Madrid’s boycott of the gala meant the award was never collected — and it still remains unclaimed.
That one decision has now set the tone for everything that’s followed.
It didn’t help that during last year’s official Ballon d’Or broadcast, organised by L’Équipe, Vinicius Jr. was openly disrespected on live TV — an incident that left many in Madrid furious.
Official Ballon d’Or/ L’Equipe broadcast disrespecting Vini Jr. on live TV.
WHAT A DISGRACE. PATHETIC 🤮 pic.twitter.com/OXe6QVfw55
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) October 28, 2024
Add to that the fact that this month, French daily L’Équipe — echoed by Mundo Deportivo — bluntly declared that “Real Madrid should not attend the Ballon d’Or gala.”
The 2025 Ballon d’Or Shortlist
This year, Real Madrid have three megastars among the nominees:
- Kylian Mbappé – their new Galáctico signing, already the face of French football.
- Vinicius Jr. – the man many Madridistas believe should have won last year.
- Jude Bellingham – LaLiga’s biggest midfield star.
The favourites? Reports point towards Ousmane Dembélé and Lamine Yamal after Barcelona’s deep Champions League run.
The Real Test Is Still to Come
Here’s the twist: this year’s potential boycott is actually the easy part.
Why? Because Madrid players aren’t clear favourites anyway. If Dembélé or Yamal win, Madrid can shrug and move on.
But what happens when Mbappé, Bellingham, or Vinicius are undeniable frontrunners?
Imagine the chaos if a Madrid player is expected to win, but loses again. Will Florentino Pérez risk another no-show? Or will the club swallow its pride for the sake of football’s biggest prize?
That’s the powder keg waiting to explode.
Conclusion:
The Ballon d’Or was meant to celebrate football’s greatest talents. But now, it’s turning into a cold war between the world’s most glamorous club and the game’s most glamorous award.
Will Real Madrid once again turn their backs on the ceremony? Almost certainly. Will it spark another storm? Definitely.
But one thing is clear: whether Madrid are in the room or not, they’ll always be part of the Ballon d’Or story.
And who knows? Maybe the day Vinicius, Mbappé, or Bellingham finally lift it, the whole feud will turn into football’s ultimate redemption arc.
Until then, the Ballon d’Or red carpet might just have a little less white.
