Real Madrid boycotts Ballon d’Or ceremony

Vinicius Junior

The Ballon d'Or ceremony got underway on Monday night in the absence of Real Madrid stars Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham after the Spanish club said it would boycott it over a perceived snub of its players.

Vinicius was not among the nominees, who paraded onto the stage at the Chatelet Theatre where the ceremony was held. He was featured in a video montage shown to guests at the ceremony and TV viewers.

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The seven players from the Real Madrid contingent, who were shortlisted for the individual award, including Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger, Fede Valverde and the retired Toni Kroos, did not show up to walk the red carpet before the ceremony began. The Spanish and European champions told AFP that they questioned the methods behind the selection of the Ballon d'Or winner, saying that their defender Dani Carvajal, another of the 30 players nominated, had also been unfairly overlooked.

"If the award criteria doesn't give it to Vinicius as the winner then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner. As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d'Or and UEFA do not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected," Real Madrid told AFP.

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