Real Madrid talks with Ballon d'Or organisers fail to heal rift over Vinícius snub

French football organisers and UEFA officials flew to Madrid in recent months to try to repair a public rift with Real Madrid over the Ballon d'Or outcome that saw the Spanish club pull its delegation out of last year’s ceremony, but the talks ended without an agreement to secure Real’s return to the gala, Spanish media reported.

The breakdown follows the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, when Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the prize and Real players and officials abruptly left the Theatre du Châtelet after Vinícius Júnior — widely tipped by many bookmakers and observers — did not finish first. Real withdrew a reported 50‑strong delegation, cancelled planned celebrations for the Brazilian forward and refused to allow any of its players to collect awards that evening.

Spanish outlet Marca reported that a delegation from France Football, which organises the Ballon d'Or, travelled to Madrid accompanied by UEFA representatives in an attempt to mend relations. The meeting was described as tense and concluded without a commitment from Real Madrid to attend the next Ballon d'Or ceremony, scheduled for September 22.

Real president Florentino Pérez and senior club figures were reported to believe Vinícius had been unfairly denied the award and questioned recent changes to the voting and scoring methodology. At the time of the 2024 ceremony, sources close to the club called the outcome a "historic robbery," according to contemporaneous reports. Club officials also argued that, if Vinícius did not meet the criteria, team‑mate Dani Carvajal — who collected the same domestic and European trophies that season — should have been considered for recognition.

The club’s reaction included the non‑collection of several honours: Carlo Ancelotti did not accept the Men’s Coach of the Year award on stage and Real Madrid did not accept the Men’s Team of the Year award, despite players such as Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal finishing among the top five in individual rankings.

France Football has organised the trophy since its creation in 1956 and has long worked to broaden the ceremony’s ties with European football governance. UEFA’s involvement in recent editions was intended to add prestige, but Real’s leaders remain publicly at odds with UEFA on separate issues — notably the fallout from the proposed European Super League — which has compounded mistrust between the club and continental institutions.

Vinícius, 24, had been a leading figure in Real’s LaLiga and Champions League double, scoring six times in the Champions League that season and emerging as a decisive attacking presence. Rodri’s Ballon d'Or win was attributed by voters in part to his role in Spain’s Euro 2024 success and Manchester City’s continued domestic success; he became the first player based in the Premier League to win the award since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008.

Organisers had hoped the Madrid talks would secure Real’s attendance for the September ceremony, but Marca reported there was no guarantee forthcoming. The Ballon d'Or remains football’s most prestigious individual award and has a long history of winners from Real Madrid, a club that has produced more men’s winners than any other.

This year’s rankings are expected to feature Paris Saint‑Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé as an early favourite, with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Barcelona teen Lamine Yamal and PSG’s Kylian Mbappé also expected to be prominent in discussions around the award.