Real Madrid, despite losing El Clasico 4-0 to Barcelona, was closely following the results of the Ballon d’Or. They were hoping for the Brazilian forward, Vinicius Junior to take home the prestigious award. However, to their shock, neither their optimistic pick Vinicius Jr, nor their defensive selection Dani Carvajal won the award. This led to substantial dissatisfaction within the club, so much so that they cancelled their trip to Paris for the award ceremony where Manchester City’s Rodri was crowned 2023-24’s best footballer.
The anticipation of Vinicius Jr’s win was kept under the wraps until the last minute. Previous award processes involved pre-award interviews and photoshoots but this year, all related activities were scheduled post the event. The Real Madrid management reportedly had complete faith in Vinicius Jr’s victory, especially after he had steered his club towards winning the Champions League last year. The club had already made extensive arrangements for his expected victory, including assistance from Nike to celebrate his anticipated triumph.
Real Madrid refused to send a delegation to Paris upon hearing the results. Concerns of portraying an image of disappointment and anger dominated the decision-making process. Club authorities were reportedly unhappy with the France Football, the awarding body, for lack of timely communication. The staff, teammates, and coach Ancelotti expressed solidarity with Vinicius Jr and supported the club’s decision not to attend the gala.
Despite Real Madrid clinching the men’s club of the year award and Ancelotti named men’s coach of the year, the club had no representation to accept the honours. The absence was criticised by stakeholders and observers, including Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Los Blancos legend Luis Figo. The club maintained its silence about the awards and instead focused on negative publicity, blaming UEFA for not respecting the club. Amid this fiasco, sights were on the Real Madrid TV broadcasting a film during the Ballon d’Or gala, further demonstrating their indignation.
The club’s discontent extended towards the Manchester city club, as they believed they were privy to Rodri’s win prematurely. Additionally, the club expressed concerns about UEFA’s involvement, perceiving it as a factor influencing the results. The voting process prescribed by France Football depends on the votes of 100 journalists, however, the club was wary of UEFA, following their disapproval of Real Madrid’s involvement in the proposed European Super League.
The aftermath of the unfruitful results led Vinicius Jr and Real Madrid with lingering doubts about the awards process. Despite his successful season, winning the Champions League, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup, they felt disheartened and challenged. The significant contribution towards the team’s performance in the past year raised the question – What does Vinicius Jr need to do to clinch a Ballon d’Or?
