He the real Madrid I was ready to experience a great day of celebration at Paris. The gala of Golden Ball promised to be an oasis in the middle of a complicated moment caused by the defeat of Barcelona Football Club in the Clásico last Saturday, but what promised to be an unforgettable day ended up becoming an almost forgotten date.
For weeks, even several months, only one name appeared in the pools of the possible winner of the Ballon d’Or. It seemed impossible for anyone to overshadow him. Vinicius after the level displayed throughout the 2023/2024 season, the best of his sporting career so far.
A footballer in full development, with incredible weight in his team and who had been able to guide his team towards La Liga and a new Champions League. Vinicius had no rival in the race to be ranked best in the world, at least until the morning of the ceremony.
What started as a small movement of opinion began to grow and eventually became a reality. Suddenly, it was leaked that Vinicius was not going to be the Ballon d’Or winner, but would instead receive the Rodrigo award, and that was a big blow for Real Madrid.
The reaction was immediate and energetic. From the Santiago Bernabéu They refused to send any representative to the gala where the great football personalities gather every year. Neither Emilio Butragueño, nor Carlo Ancelottinor of course any player. Real Madrid thus showed its discomfort and rejection at what happened during one of the most controversial Ballon d’Or galas in recent memory.
The sit-in
Real Madrid had prepared everything to arrive in Paris in a big way. The club’s management was going to go to the French capital, with Florentino Pérez and Emilio Butragueño in charge, and with Vinicius as the main protagonist waiting to receive the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his sporting career.
In the white club – and in the general feeling of football fans – it was obvious that the Brazilian would be named the best player in the world, but the information received on Monday morning radically changed the situation.
It was revealed that Vinicius would not ultimately win the Ballon d’Or and, given the widespread feeling of injustice within the club, it was decided to cancel any plans related to the ceremony. The prepared private flight did not land in Paris and no Real Madrid representatives were present at the event. Châtelet Theater.
Even Emilio Butragueño, the figure who usually represents the white club in these types of events, did not attend a ceremony that deeply outraged the merengue entity.
Even Real Madrid television, The club’s official media even canceled a special program they had prepared for the Ballon d’Or gala. They were hoping to talk about Vinicius’ success, but given the new panorama, that too was canceled.
Two prizes not collected
Although he remained without the great recognition of the evening, the the real Madrid He was also the protagonist of the Ballon d’Or gala for other reasons. Vinicius did not win the individual award, but the white team’s great season could not go unnoticed.
Thus, Real Madrid won the award for the best team of the year after a season full of successes such as the titles of La Liga or Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti, for his part, was recognized as the best coach for being able to guide them to these achievements as captain of the White team’s ship.
The awards were not abandoned, but the giving of them was. There was no one there to collect these two awards which rewarded the best team and the best coach of the year, no one went on stage with Didier Drogba and Sandy Héribert to receive these two awards, a striking image in an event as important as this one.
It was a clear and sharp demonstration of protest by Real Madrid against what happened with Vinicius, who was considered the sure winner of the Ballon d’Or. A monumental anger that the whole world was able to appreciate and which marked one of the most controversial galas that we can remember in recent years.
