Reactions have continued to trail Real Madrid’s handling of Vinicius Jr’s 2024 Ballon d’Or snub by the organizers.
The 15-time Champions League winners, who won the Best Team of the Year and also had their manager Carlo Ancelotti win the Best Men’s Coach of the Year, were nowhere to be found in the ceremony in Paris.
They boycotted the event at the last minute after learning that their forward Vinicius Jr., would not win the award.
We reported earlier that Ballon d’Or organizers removed all seats for Real Madrid at the event after they also learnt that the La Liga champions won’t be attending the event.
Spanish outlets report that the club’s president Florentino Perez was forced to call off a scheduled 50-man high-powered Real Madrid delegation to the event, comprising players and members of the coaching crew.
For Real Madrid, the decision to snub Vinicius Jr for the 2024 Men’s award amounted to disrespect and the club cannot go to where they were disrespected.
They also blasted UEFA for colluding with organizers of the award – France Football – to rob Vinicius Jr of the award.
Additionally, the club argued if the criteria for the award did not favour Vinicius Jr then their defender Dani Carvajal should clinch the award instead since he won the UEFA Champions League, including the 2024 Euros with Spain.
“Real Madrid have lost gentleman mentality,” – La Liga president Javier Tebas reacts
President of La Liga Javier Tebas has slammed Real Madrid’s handling of the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or drama.
Speaking on Tuesday with L’Equippe, Tebas said the club have lost its gentleman mentality and has exaggerated its victimhood mentality.
According to him, it would have been more decent to congratulate the winners and move on in the spirit of sportsmanship as enshrined in the club’s ethos and ideals.
“I’m a Madrid fan. The important values of this club are to be a gentleman and to shake hands when you lose
”I think Real Madrid lost that mentality a long time ago. They should have gone to the ceremony and not questioned the France Football system, which is transparent, with 100 journalists voting.
”Real Madrid’s victimhood doesn’t have to be and it is exaggerated. I don’t know where they’re going. We also experience this lack of elegance in Spain.”
Reports suggest Real Madrid’s indicting statement on UEFA over the Ballon d’Or saga is linked to the club’s recent feud with the European football’s governing body over the European Super League project.
Recall Real Madrid are leading the charge to realize the break-away club football competition which will rival the UEFA Champions League and change the dynamics of the game in Europe.
France Football reveal why Real Madrid lost the 2024 Ballon d’Or award
While UEFA have remained mute over the allegations, France Football revealed Vinicius Jr lost the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or due to voting technicalities not a malicious handling of the process as claimed by Real Madrid.
France Football editor Vincent Garcia said Vinicius Jr lost narrowly due to three Real Madrid players making the top five in the rankings.
Manchester City and Spain defensive midfielder Rodri was crowned winner of the award. The 28-year-old, who is nursing a hamstring injury became the first Premier League player since 2008 to win the award after Cristiano Ronaldo.
Rodri won the Premier League, 2024 Euros and reached the semifinals of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League but the decision to award him the award has stoked more controversies than settle it.
