Real Madrid can't escape embarrassing irony at Ballon d'Or awards after boycott
The European champions were named Men's Club of the Year at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris on Monday night but had already refused to show up in an apparent huff
Real Madrid were named the men’s club of the year at the Ballon d’Or awards on Monday night - but there was nobody there to collect the trophy.
The Spanish giants chose to snub the prestigious ceremony in Paris claiming they had been disrespected. Kylian Mbappe also missed the chance to pick up the Gerd Muller trophy he won jointly with Harry Kane as the Real Madrid delegation stayed at home, having apparently learned that Vinicius Junior would not be named male player of the year.
In a statement the club said: “If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to (Dani) Carvajal as the winner. As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or does not respect Real Madrid. Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
After helping Real to a Champions League-LaLiga double, Vinicius, 24, had been a heavy favourite to win the award ahead of his team-mate Jude Bellingham and Manchester City ’s Rodri. But seemingly, Madrid learned that the Brazilian was to be beaten to the award and president Florentino Perez elected to halt their private jet and remain in the Spanish capital.
Mbappe and Kane shared the Gerd Muller trophy after both players finished last season with 52 goals, but only Kane was on hand to collected the award.
“Thank you to my club Bayern Munich, all my staff, team-mates, for helping me score all the goals I scored,” the England captain said. “It’s an honour to take this award from a club legend (Karl-Heinz Rummenigge), thank you very much.”
There was little surprise when the Kopa Trophy – awarded to the best male player under the age of 21 – went to Barcelona ’s teenage star Yamine Lamal.
The forward became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the European Championships when, four days shy of his 17th birthday, he scored for Spain in their 2-1 semi-final win over France, before going on to lift the trophy.
Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second year in a row while Barcelona won the women’s club of the year after beating Lyon in last season’s Women’s Champions League final, for their third European title in four years.
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