Real Madrid issue stern Ballon d'Or statement after boycott following Vinicius Jr decision

Real Madrid have expressed their disappointment at the decision to overlook Vinicius Jr for the 2024 Ballon d'Or award.

The Spanish giants had high hopes that one of their star players would clinch the esteemed award. However, leaked information suggests that Vinicius has been pipped to the Golden Ball by Rodri, another top contender for the accolade.

Consequently, Los Blancos have chosen to boycott the ceremony in Paris, with no club staffin attendance. Vinicius was among six Real nominees on the 30-player shortlist for the award, a testament to the club's triumphs in La Liga and the Champions League.

Vinicius, Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde, Kylian Mbappe and Antonio Rudiger were all contenders for the Ballon d'Or, but none of the six were present in France. Neither was manager Carlo Ancelotti or president Florentino Perez, as the club took aim at the organisers.

Madrid told AFP: "If the award criteria doesn't give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner. 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."

Rodri's victory can largely be attributed to his pivotal role in Spain's Euro 2024 success. The Manchester City ace, who also added another Premier League title to his resume, was named the tournament's best player. However, Carvajal was also a key member of the victorious Spanish team.

Real Madrid believe that his involvement, along with his Champions League victory, should place him ahead of Rodri if international success is the main criteri. Vinicius was unable to add the Copa America to his European triumphs as Brazil fell short.

The Ballon d'Or is determined by a panel of journalists from the top 100 nations in the FIFA rankings. Real Madrid share the record for the most wins in the award's history, having won it 12 times, the same as their Spanish rivals Barcelona.

Their last winner was Karim Benzema, who took home the award in 2022. Since the start of the new millennium, they have also seen Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo, Fabio Cannavaro and Ronaldo lift the prestigious award.

On the other hand, Rodri is on track to become the first Premier League player to win the award since Ronaldo did so in 2008. He is also set to be the first Spaniard to win in over 60 years, with his national coach, Luis de la Fuente, naming him as the most deserving candidate.