Real Madrid ‘Consider’ Ballon d’Or Boycott for Second Consecutive Year

Real Madrid and France Football have yet to reconcile after their public falling out last year, reportedly prompting the Spanish giants to once again skip the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Just hours before Rodri’s name was called out at the Théâtre du Châtelet last October, Real Madrid made the controversial decision to boycott the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Not a single player, manager or representative attended the event after they learned Vinícius Júnior did not win the men’s Ballon d’Or award.

The stage remained empty when Carlo Ancelotti won the Men’s Johan Cruyff Trophy and when Real Madrid was named the Men’s Club of the Year. Even Kylian Mbappé, who had only just joined the club that summer, did not attend the ceremony to receive the Gerd Müller Trophy, which he shared with Harry Kane.

With the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony just two weeks away, it once again appears that Los Blancos will not make the trip to Paris. According to MARCA, Real Madrid and France Football have failed to “reestablish relations” after their headline-making rift last year.

The Spanish outlet claims France Football even sent a delegate to Madrid in an attempt to rebuild a relationship with the Spanish giants. The goal was to come to an “understanding” ahead of this year’s ceremony on Sept. 22, but the meetings were ultimately “unsuccessful.”

Unlike last year, the favorites to take home the men’s Ballon d’Or award are not Real Madrid players. Yet the club still has three players nominated for the prestigious honor: Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham. Dean Huijsen is also nominated for the Kopa Trophy while Thibaut Courtois is up for the Yashin Trophy.

Should Los Blancos decide to boycott the ceremony in Paris, some of the biggest stars in the sport will once again be noticeably absent at the Théâtre du Châtelet, setting an eye-catching precedent moving forward.