Rodri Wins Ballon d'Or: Real Madrid Boycotts Ceremony

At the men's Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, Manchester City midfielder Rodri claimed the prestigious award, outshining Real Madrid's nominees—Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal, and Jude Bellingham. This decision sparked controversy as Real Madrid opted to boycott the event, resulting in the men's club of the year award being left uncollected and preventing Carlo Ancelotti from receiving the men's coach of the year title.

The women's Ballon d'Or was awarded to Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati, marking her second consecutive win, as Barcelona celebrated by taking the top three spots with Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo. Real Madrid expressed their dissatisfaction before the event, releasing a statement through AS asserting that if Vinicius was not chosen, then Carvajal should have been acknowledged instead. Claiming that the Ballon d'Or 'does not respect Real Madrid,' the club decided not to attend.

Despite the controversy, Madrid's talent was still acknowledged: they concluded the evening with two awards and had four players in the men's top six—Vinicius, Bellingham, Carvajal, and Mbappe, who came in sixth just behind Erling Haaland. Mbappe shared the Gerd Muller trophy with England’s Harry Kane, who finished last season with an impressive 52 goals. Kane expressed his appreciation to Bayern Munich for supporting his scoring spree and received the award from club legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Barcelona’s 16-year-old forward Yamine Lamal clinched the Kopa Trophy for the best male player under 21, setting a record as the youngest goalscorer in European Championship history. Barcelona also claimed the Women’s club of the Year award after defeating Lyon in the Women’s Champions League final. Chelsea’s Emma Hayes was honoured as the women’s coach of the year, celebrating her seventh Women’s Super League title with Chelsea before taking charge of the U.S. women’s team and leading them to Olympic gold. She expressed pride in being the first female coach to receive the award, highlighting the collaborative effort behind her achievements.

The Yashin Trophy for the top male goalkeeper was given for the second consecutive year to Emiliano Martinez, who was instrumental in Argentina's Copa America victory and Aston Villa's qualification for the Champions League. The Ballon d'Or ceremony, despite the absence of Real Madrid's representatives, featured exceptional talent from clubs across Europe, emphasizing the passion and skill that continue to elevate the sport globally.