REAL DRAMA
Real Madrid ‘set to BOYCOTT Ballon d’Or ceremony’ amid reports favourite Vinicius Jr has been beaten to award
But who is the shock new winner?
REAL MADRID are set to BOYCOTT tonight's Ballon d'Or ceremony amid reports Vinicius Jr has NOT won, according to reports.
The Brazilian winger, 24, has long been tipped to win football's most-prestigious individual award after a stellar year.
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However, shocking reports are now claiming Vinicius Jr has NOT won - with Manchester City star Rodri instead taking the crown.
And Real Madrid officials are not taking the news well.
Paris-based RMC Sport claim: "The first consequence of this upcoming twist at the Ballon d'Or, and not the least, is that the Real Madrid delegation has cancelled its visit to Paris.
"Madrid president Florentino Perez is furious.";
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The club also believe they are "not respected" - convinced that if not Vinicius Jr, then Dani Carvajal should win the award.
RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins earlier claimed: "Vinicius Jr's entourage are now convinced that the Real Madrid forward will NOT be named as the #BallonDor winner.
"Everyone in Madrid has this feeling."
Spanish ace Rodri, 28, is now tipped to win the gong, with Vinicius Jr second and the latter's club-mate Jude Bellingham, 21, in third.
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As well as leading Pep Guardiola's side to a fourth straight Premier League title - and sixth in seven seasons - midfield linchpin Rodri guided Spain to the Euro 2024 title, beating England in the final.
Real's logic behind Carvajal hinges on him winning top-flight AND European Championship honours - just like Rodri.
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Vinicius Jr also enjoyed a glittering year, helping to lead his club to the LaLiga and Champions League titles in 2023-24.
The red-hot forward scored six and assisted four more in just ten Champions League games as Real won their 15th European crown.
The Brazilian even scored the second in the 2-0 final win over Borussia Dortmund.
Vini Jr was also involved in 20 goals in just 26 LaLiga games last season.
Whatever happens on the evening in Paris, a little slice of history will be made.
Monday night will become only the third time since 2007 that the award has not gone to Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Luka Modric won the top honour in 2018, while Karim Benzema took top spot in 2022.
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Messi won last year's edition, while Ronaldo's last Ballon d'Or came in 2017.
The Argentine also boasts the most Ballons d'Or in history with eight, beating Ronaldo (five), Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten (all three).
Ballon d'Or nominees in full
Men's award
- Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
- Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Turkey, Inter)
- Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid)
- Rúben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
- Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)
- Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
- Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
- Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
- Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
- Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich)
- Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid)
- Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)
- Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
- Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter )
- Kylian Mbappé (France, Paris Saint-Germain / Real Madrid)
- Martin Ødegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
- Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig / Barcelona)
- Cole Palmer (England, Manchester City / Chelsea)
- Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
- Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
- Antonio Rüdiger (Germany, Real Madrid)
- Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
- William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
- Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)
- Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)
- Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
- Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Club)
- Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)
- Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)
- Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Women's award
- Barbra Banda (Zambia, Shanghai RCB / Orlando Pride)
- Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)
- Lucy Bronze (England, Barcelona / Chelsea)
- Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Barcelona / Arsenal)
- Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi, Paris Saint-Germain / Olympique Lyonnais)
- Grace Geyoro (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
- Manuela Giugliano (Italy, AS Roma)
- Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)
- Patricia Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)
- Giulia Gwinn (Germany, Bayern Munich)
- Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Manchester City)
- Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Olympique Lyonnais)
- Lauren Hemp (England, Manchester City)
- Lindsey Horan (USA, Olympique Lyonnais)
- Lauren James (England, Chelsea)
- Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
- Alyssa Naeher (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
- Sjoeke Nüsken (Germany, Chelsea)
- Ewa Pajor (Poland, VfL Wolfsburg / Barcelona)
- Salma Paralluelo (Spain, Barcelona)
- Gabi Portilho (Brazil, Corinthians)
- Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)
- Mayra Ramírez (Colombia, Levante / Chelsea)
- Trinity Rodman (USA, Washington Spirit)
- Lea Schüller (Germany, Bayern Munich)
- Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City)
- Sophia Smith (USA, Portland Thorns)
- Mallory Swanson (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
- Tarciane (Brazil, Corinthians / Houston Dash)
- Glódís Viggósdóttir (Iceland, Bayern Munich)
Yashin Trophy
- Diogo Costa (Portugal, Porto)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
- Gregor Kobel (Switzerland, Borussia Dortmund)
- Andriy Lunin (Ukraine, Real Madrid)
- Mike Maignan (France, Milan)
- Giorgi Mamardashvili (Georgia, Valencia)
- Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
- Unai Simón (Spain, Athletic Club)
- Yann Sommer (Switzerland, Inter)
- Ronwen Williams (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
Kopa Trophy
- Pau Cubarsí (Spain, Barcelona)
- Alejandro Garnacho (Argentina, Manchester United)
- Arda Güler (Turkey, Real Madrid)
- Karim Konaté (Ivory Coast, Salzburg)
- Kobbie Mainoo (England, Manchester United)
- João Neves (Portugal, Benfica / Paris Saint-Germain)
- Savinho (Brazil, Girona / Manchester City)
- Mathys Tel (France, Bayern Munich)
- Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
- Warren Zaïre-Emery (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Men's coach award
- Xabi Alonso (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
- Carlo Ancelotti (Italy, Real Madrid)
- Luis de la Fuente (Spain, Spain national team)
- Gian Piero Gasperini (Italy, Atalanta)
- Pep Guardiola (Spain, Manchester City)
- Lionel Scaloni (Argentina, Argentina national team)
Women's coach award
- Sonia Bompastor (France, Olympique Lyonnais / Chelsea)
- Arthur Elias (Brazil, Corinthians / Brazil national team)
- Jonatan Giráldez (Spain, Barcelona / Washington Spirit)
- Emma Hayes (England, Chelsea / USA national team)
- Filipa Patão (Portugal, Benfica)
- Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands, England national team)
Men club of the year award
- Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
- Girona (Spain)
- Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
- Manchester City (England)
- Real Madrid (Spain)
Women's club of the year award
- Barcelona (Spain)
- Chelsea (England)
- NJ/NY Gotham (USA)
- Olympique Lyonnais (France)
- Paris Saint-Germain (France)
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