The Ballon d’Or award presented to Manchester City midfielder Rodri has sparked confusion and disappointment among current and former Real Madrid players, who believe the award should have gone to runner-up Vinícius Júnior.
No representative of Real Madrid travelled to the award ceremony in Paris after it was announced that the prestigious trophy would not go to the Brazilian striker.
Vinícius Júnior himself also hinted that he disagrees with the result: “I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They’re not ready,” the Brazilian wrote on social media platform X.
In a statement published by Spanish newspaper El País, the club said: “It is clear that Ballon d’Or does not respect Real Madrid. Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
The award, voted on by journalists in a poll jointly organized by France Football and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), saw Rodri take the top spot, followed by Vinícius Júnior and his Real Madrid teammates Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal.
Real midfielder Eduardo Camavinga described the vote as “football politics” and wrote on X next to a photo of himself and Vinícius Júnior: “My brother you are the best player in the world and no award can say otherwise.”
Toni Kroos, who wrapped up his successful career with Real Madrid this summer, posted a picture on Instagram alongside Vinícius Júnior, captioning it with the phrase “the best.”