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PARIS. — Real Madrid won the club of the year award but were absent from Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, where forward Vinicius Junior was beaten to best men’s player by Manchester City’s Rodri .
The European champions said their representatives would not go where Real are “not respected” after learning Vinicius would miss out on the prestigious trophy, according to reports from news agency AFP and Spanish media.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti and forward Kylian Mbappe both won individual honours but neither was present to receive their award.
Spain international Rodri (28) won the men’s Ballon d’Or ahead of Vinicius and Real Madrid team-mate Jude Bellingham.
Brazil international Vinicius (24) was Real Madrid’s top scorer last season as the Spanish giants won the Champions League and La Liga.
After Rodri was confirmed as the winner, Vinicius posted on X: “I’ll do it 10x if I have to. They are not ready.”
It was reported that Real believed Vinicius’ team-mate Dani Carvajal had also been overlooked for the main prize.
“If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner,” the club said in a statement to AFP and Spanish media.
“As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or-Uefa does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
But prior to the ceremony organisers said “no player or club knows who has won the Ballon d’Or.”
The awards, organised by France Football, are based on voting by a panel of journalists from the top 100 Fifa-ranked nations. — BBC
Online Reporter