Real Madrid are set to boycott the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony, marking the second year in a row they will shun football’s most prestigious individual award, according to GIVEMESPORT.
The Spanish giants remain locked in a bitter standoff with the organisers, stemming from their belief that Vinicius Jr was unfairly overlooked for last year’s prize.
Despite netting 24 goals in 39 appearances during the 2023/24 campaign, including the decisive strike in the Champions League final at Wembley against Borussia Dortmund, the Brazilian finished second.
Furious with the outcome, club officials skipped the Paris event entirely in 2024 and lodged what they described as a “formal protest against the committee.” With no resolution reached, that stance will carry into this year’s gala, scheduled for Monday, September 22, in the French capital.
French outlet L’Equipe reports that the tension has not eased, while FIFA’s attempts at mediation have failed to sway Real.
According to Marca (via Daily Mail), Ballon d’Or representatives even flew to Madrid in recent months for face-to-face talks with Los Blancos chiefs. The meeting was reportedly “tense” and ended without progress, with Real maintaining their claim of a “historic robbery.”
As a result, no players or club officials are expected to attend in September, even though Vinicius, Kylian Mbappé, and Jude Bellingham have all been shortlisted.
Current indications suggest the prize will likely go to Ousmane Dembélé or teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal.
The feud has cast a shadow over Real’s otherwise rich Ballon d’Or legacy. Karim Benzema was their last winner in 2022, with the club boasting 12 triumphs in total, level with Barcelona, thanks to icons such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Alfredo Di Stefano, and Ronaldo Nazário.