Rarely has the Ballon d’Or been free of controversy. The most prestigious individual trophy in the world is at the same time the most discussed and has in its history editions full of controversy, from the contempt for Spanish footballers even when they dominated Europe and the world with the national team to the eternal struggle between Messi and Cristiano . Rarely have everyone agreed on their verdicts. However, until now it had never provoked as much anger as the one that the real Madridwho decided to be absent from the gala at the Parisian Chatelet hotel upon discovering that the great favorite for the main prize, Vinícius, was not finally chosen, and that the award would not go to Carvajal either.
The gesture of the current champion of Europe and the Spanish league fell like a bomb on the football planet. In some forums it was taken as an understandable reaction due to the surprise of not seeing Vinícius (or, failing that, Carvajal) crowned as the best footballer in the world, while in many others it has been taken as a tantrum that is not in line with the values he defends. historically the Madrid club.
In any case, Madrid’s stance of not going to Paris, leaving among other powerful images that of the void when it comes to collecting the award for best club of the season or best coach, which went to Ancelotti, has not been a bad thing for either. the organizers of the award, who have seen their reach and impact multiplied to levels never seen beforenot even in the fiercest moments of the Messi-Cristiano fight.
Two opposing visions in France
Vincent García, editor-in-chief of ‘France Football‘, founding magazine of the award and co-organizer with the newspaper ‘L’Equipe‘, he delved into the controversy over the award to Rodrigo Hernández. “I was very unpleasantly surprised by his absence,” he explained on ‘L’Equipe‘. «Evidently, Vinicius surely suffered from the presence of Bellingham and Carvajal in the top 5 because, mathematically, that took away some points from him. This also sums up Real Madrid’s season, which had between 3 and 4 players and the juries distributed their decisions among them, which benefited Rodri,” he argued.
«With a less spectacular style than Vinicius, often portrayed as the best player in the world in his position, Rodri has become, at 28 years old, the best on the planet. (…) It was his influence and his way of promoting the group that led to his coronation,” he added ‘L’Equipe‘.
Something further removed from Rodri’s election was another French newspaper, ‘Le Parisian‘, who after hearing the verdict wrote: «Ecstasy at the end of a golden year. The immense black spot of a year 2024 until now perfect. Rodri’s choice is also a surprise, even a huge one. That of not seeing Vinicius Junior lift the award. He, the Brazilian from Real Madrid, the incarnation of a potential superstar. “A profile that is much closer to that of the last winners of the Ballon d’Or.”
But beyond the responses and arguments of the French press, directly involved in the award for the best player in the world, the reactions spread to all corners of the globe where football has any weight.
Brazil, with Vinicius
Logically, Brazil is where they were most surprised by Vini’s defeat, as ‘Or Globe‘, who compared it to a disappointment similar to that of a disaster for the ‘canarinha’ team and pointed out the “exaggerated importance” of this individual award.
«Individual awards in a team sport are an invitation to controversy, often injustice, so an obsession often turns into nonsense. In the era of celebrity worship, they satisfy the public and make the industry go round. In countries lacking achievements like Brazil, they take on an exaggerated importance, transformed into a false measure of our place in the hierarchy of the global game. Which explains why the non-election of Vinícius Júnior, the best player of the last European season, has had repercussions as if the Brazilian team itself had suffered an undeserved defeat.
The vision of the ‘Folha de Sao Paulo‘, which justified the absence of the Real Madrid star in Paris and the anger of his club. «The night in which the consecration of Vinícius Júnior was expected became a big mess. (…) The Ballon d’Or is not the Oscar and footballers are not used to attending awards ceremonies and leaving empty-handed. “Real Madrid considered Rodri’s victory as a slap in the face from UEFA, co-sponsor of the trophy.”
Another medium in Portuguese, the luso’Record‘, he echoes that “it was another controversial night around the awards ceremony, and it all started very early, with Real Madrid boycotting his presence at the ceremony in Paris after receiving information that Vinícius Jr, the great candidate for the this year’s award, I would not go on stage. He points out that the current European champion canceled the scheduled trip of a delegation of fifty people and even the live broadcast of the gala on its television channel.
England, happily surprised
Where the word boycott resonates most is the English press, happily surprised by the final choice of Manchester City footballer Rodri as the best player in the world. So, ‘The Telegraph‘ highlights that Real Madrid “snubbed the Ballon d’Or” after learning that the midfielder surpassed his players Vinícius and Bellingham.
“Rodri wins the Ballon d’Or while Real Madrid boycotts the ceremony,” writes the ‘Daily Mail‘. «The Manchester City midfielder (…) became the first Premier League winner since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 and surpassed Vinícius Junior. He lifted his fourth consecutive league title this year and was a member of the Spanish team that won the European Championship. “He has only lost one club game in 18 months.”
“The Real Madrid and Brazilian national team winger, who had been the bookmakers’ favorite for the award, did not attend the ceremony after learning that he had not won the award,” he adds.
For ‘The Times‘Real Madrid, the club with the most individual Ballon d’Or winners in history, boycotted the awards ceremony, dramatically withdrawing a delegation of some 50 employees, including star players, from the event in Paris just hours before it started.”
«(…) Apparently warned by the players’ entourage that Rodri was likely to have gathered more votes from the hundred global journalists who choose the winner, Madrid abruptly canceled an afternoon charter flight scheduled to take its delegation to the French capital.
For the ‘Mirror‘The “boycott” of Real Madrid was a “lack of respect.” “The Spanish club chose to point out the organizers and boycott the ceremony and has accused UEFA of disrespecting them.”
Although for a hard dart towards the white club that of ‘TheAthletic‘, which is sent against the entity directed by Florentino Pérez. «The way in which Madrid has reacted to the news that one of its boys has not won this year’s edition could lead one to think that the real winner is the result of a bizarre vote or some type of shady manipulation. (…) There is a lot to admire in the way Madrid considers its place in world football (let’s be honest, it is the biggest club on the planet and when it proclaims itself king of Europe, no one can argue with it), but it is not owner of the sport nor does he have a divine right to its most prestigious awards. “To outsiders, the idea that they would even suggest that UEFA does not respect them is absurd.”
Italy draws on irony: “Sudden change of mood”
In Italy, ‘The sports gazette‘ He is ironic and explains that «in Madrid they took it badly, very badly. The plane that was to take the large and noble delegation from the White House to Paris to accompany Vinícius to collect the Ballon d’Or was to take off at three in the afternoon. But it didn’t take off. “Not because of a technical failure, but because of a sudden change of mood, and therefore, of plans, at the Real Madrid leadership.”
The white decision was equally ugly.Tuttosport‘: «The talent of Manchester City and Spain triumphs over that of Ancelotti and all the whites desert the event. The whites were defeated Vinicius, Carvajal and Bellingham, all absent as well as the entire Real Madrid delegation, furious at the decision.
Germany and Madrid’s discontent
Finally, while in Germany the newspaper ‘Bild‘He points directly to Madrid president Florentino Pérez’s decision not to travel (“he decided that no representative or player of the team would attend the ceremony in Paris”), ‘Kicker‘ He explained to his readers that «the final result did not meet the expectations of many. Vinicius Júnior, Real Madrid attacker, was considered one of the main candidates for the most prestigious individual award in world football. When the decision was leaked a few hours before the ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Real Madrid reacted with notable discontent.
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