Why has Real Madrid decided to skip the Ballon d'Or 2024 Award Ceremony?

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In a shocking turn of events, Real Madrid have announced its decision to skip the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris on Monday (October 28).

The prestigious footballing award ceremony is set to take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and the best footballer across the world will be awarded. Apart from that, the best women's player and a plethora of other awards will also be named on the night.

But the Spanish giants have decided to skip the event. Their star man Vinicius Jr, who is in the race for the award won't travel to Paris. As per Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, no Real Madrid contingent will be present at the event.

Why has Real Madrid decided to skip Ballon d'Or Event?

The club believes their forward, Vinicius Junior, who was a strong contender for the men's award, has been unjustly overlooked. They also expressed dissatisfaction over defender Dani Carvajal's exclusion from the top honours.

"If the award criteria doesn't give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner," stated the club.

The organisers of the Ballon d'Or have introduced a new approach this year by keeping the winner's name confidential until the ceremony. This change aims to prevent any premature leaks to the media. In previous years, winners were disclosed days before the event. All nominees have been invited to attend tonight's ceremony in Paris.

Real Madrid's absence from the event and their statement imply that neither Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal, nor Jude Bellingham will secure the prestigious trophy. These players were instrumental in Real Madrid's European success. The club feels disrespected by UEFA and has decided not to participate where they feel undervalued.

The absence of Real Madrid players at such a significant event underscores their protest against what they perceive as biased selection methods. It has also raised questions if the winner has already been leaked in private cohorts, as many reports angle Manchester City midfielder Rodri as the winner.

Are Real Madrid right to Protest?

Although Real Madrid may have a point for their protest, it is quite abysmal to completely skip an event as none of their players may win it. It generally goes against the fabric of the sports. The Ballon d'Or award is generally given after an accumulation of votes from captains and coaches across the globe, along with votes from a few journalists. There have been questionable selections in the previous years as well but boycotting an entire event for it seems a bit stretched.