More information: Ties between UEFA and L’Équipe have tarnished the prestige of the Ballon d’Or, with Real Madrid under fire.
This Sunday, November 24, Real Madrid held its Ordinary General Assembly, an event that began with a moving video highlighting the many successes achieved during the season by the men’s and women’s Football teams, as well as the basketball team.
However, one thing particularly caught the attention: in the detailed assessment of the individual and collective distinctions received, such as the Golden Boy award awarded to Jude Bellingham and the FIFPro honors, there was no mention of the Ballon d’ Gold 2024, an award which this year has become a symbol of controversy and discontent for the white club.
At this year’s controversial gala, Real Madrid were awarded Best Club of the Year and Carlo Ancelotti was named Best Coach of the Season, but no one picked up either of these prices.
Read more:
Arne Slot defends UK coaches ahead of Southampton clash
The absence of the prestigious award in Real Madrid’s official speech further reflects the outrage caused by the decision to award the Ballon d’Or to Rodrigo Hernández, midfielder of Manchester City and the Spanish national team, instead of Vinicius Junior, who many considered a top contender after a stellar season.
The Ballon d’Or gala, held on October 28 in Paris, was highly anticipated by Real Madrid, who hoped to see Vinicius Junior crowned the best player in the world after leading the team through a historic season. However, on the very morning of the event, rumors began to circulate that the Brazilian would not be selected, with the award going to Rodrigo Hernández instead.
Read more:
The lawyer of the ‘VIPs’ accused of corruption now targets Pedro Sánchez
Real Madrid reacted immediately. In an unprecedented decision, they canceled their participation in the gala, leaving empty seats reserved for Florentino Pérez and other senior club officials.
The omission of the Ballon d’Or in the Assembly video becomes even more significant when compared to the inclusion of other individual accolades, such as the Golden Boy obtained by Jude Bellingham, or the presence of players from club in the FIFPro World XI. This strengthens Real Madrid’s position of not putting forward a price that they consider tainted by extra-sporting interests.
The implicit message is clear: the white club has not only expressed its discontent by avoiding the gala, but continues to maintain a discourse of rejection with regard to what they perceive as a lack of respect towards Vinicius Junior and the efforts of the team. This distance poses a direct challenge to the organizers of the Ballon d’Or, particularly France Football and UEFA, whose roles in awarding the prize have raised suspicion.
Read more:
Mario Jardel: Brazil’s ’90s star ‘discarded’ and recovered after battling depression and addiction
The Ballon d’Or, organized by France Football, is owned by the media group that controls French newspaper L’Équipe, an entity that has strengthened its ties with UEFA in recent years. This time, the 2024 gala was co-organized with UEFA, causing distrust due to the strained relationship it has with Real Madrid, particularly regarding the Super League project supported by the club .
Additionally, figures like Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, president of PSG and ally of Alexsander Ceferin, president of UEFA, are seen as key players in the power dynamics that could influence such decisions. The relationship between L’Équipe, PSG and the Ballon d’Or has previously been criticized, most notably in 2021 when Paris club player Lionel Messi won the award amid allegations of favoritism.
