Will Real Madrid boycott the Ballon d'Or again?! La Liga giants still sour over Vinicius Jr snub as meetings with award organisers fail to mend relationship

According to Marca, Madrid’s tense relationship with the Ballon d’Or remains unresolved after last year’s fallout over Vinicius Jr’s omission. The Brazilian was widely expected to win the award but finished second to Manchester City midfielder Rodri, losing out by just 41 points. Furious with the outcome, Los Blancos pulled out of the Paris gala entirely, cancelling travel plans for Vinicius, Carlo Ancelotti, Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde, who had been set to attend.

France Football has since attempted to repair the fractured relationship, even sending a delegation to Madrid to discuss the upcoming September ceremony. However, the talks ended unsuccessfully, leaving doubts over whether the Spanish giants will once again boycott football’s most prestigious individual prize, according to reports.

Madrid's displeasure is not only about Vinicius’ snub but also about broader changes to the award’s criteria. The club reportedly questioned the new scoring system and the involvement of UEFA, whose strained relationship with Madrid has only added fuel to the dispute. Given Los Blancos’ history with the award, their players including Alfredo Di Stefano, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema have won it 12 times, more than any other club, the rift has cast a shadow over the prize.

Madrid remain confused by the way the situation was handled last year, reports stated, noting that the club remain convinced the Brazilian was unfairly denied. France Football and UEFA, now co-organisers of the award, are said to be eager to avoid a repeat of last year’s fiasco, but institutional tensions with Madrid show no signs of easing.

The Ballon d’Or gala is scheduled for September 22 in Paris, but Madrid’s participation is still up in the air. Unless there is a dramatic turnaround in talks, Los Blancos may once again opt to snub the event, keeping their stars and their influence away from one of football’s most watched evenings.