Real Madrid to Boycott 2025 Ballon d’Or Ceremony

Real Madrid will not attend the 2025 Ballon d’Or gala on September 22 in Paris, continuing their protest after Vinicius Jr. missed out last year despite being a favourite. Despite having Mbappe, Vinicius, and Bellingham nominated, the club disputes the scoring system and UEFA’s involvement. The award race is reportedly between Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal.

As the Ballon d’Or ceremony draws closer, Real Madrid’s ongoing standoff with the award organizers looks set to continue. Reports suggest that the club will once again boycott the 2025 gala in Paris on September 22, extending the protest that began last year when Vinicius Jr. was overlooked for the trophy, which eventually went to Manchester City’s Rodri. Despite peace efforts by the Ballon d’Or committee, Real Madrid remain firm in their objections regarding the voting process and UEFA’s involvement.

This year, three Madrid stars, Vinicius, Kylian Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham are among the nominees, but none are considered front-runners. Vinicius endured a below-par season, Bellingham struggled for consistency, and only Mbappe impressed by winning both the Golden Boot and the Pichichi in his debut campaign. Still, the award race appears to favor Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and PSG’s Ousmane Dembele.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are preparing for defensive changes as veteran duo Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba approach potential exits. Four players are under consideration as long-term replacements: Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Arsenal’s William Saliba, and Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano. Of these, Konate emerges as the leading candidate, with his contract situation making him a realistic target for Los Blancos in 2026.