According to L'Équipe, Real Madrid publicly boycotted the Ballon d'Or awards ceremonies in 2023 and 2024. This year, that situation is highly likely to change.
Two years ago, Real Madrid's sudden decision to boycott the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony, absenting themselves from the Paris event, sparked considerable controversy. This occurred against the backdrop of leaked news that the most prestigious individual award in football would go to Rodri, who was then playing for Man City, rather than Vinícius Júnior.
At the time, sources within the club stated: "It's clear that the Ballon d'Or does not respect Real Madrid. Real Madrid will not attend events where it is not respected." This statement quickly spread and generated extensive media coverage.
Last year, Real Madrid was also largely absent from the awards gala. On one hand, the relationship between club president Florentino Pérez and the organizers of France Football remained strained, with meetings between the two sides failing to achieve reconciliation. On the other hand, they had no realistic chance of winning an award at that time.
This year the situation is different: Mbappé is now considered one of the strongest candidates for the Ballon d'Or, with other favorites including Harry Kane (Bayern) and Lamine Yamal (Barcelona). According to L'Équipe, Real Madrid's plan is for several nominated players to travel to London on Monday — the day after the Clásico against Barcelona — where this year's Ballon d'Or ceremony will be held.
In addition, Real Madrid may also receive other awards: Courtois is nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year, and Aurélien Tchouaméni is a candidate for Best Young Player. In women's football, new signing Sohm is also expected to contend for the Best Young Player of the Year award.
It remains unclear whether this trip signals a change in their attitude towards the organizers, or whether it is primarily motivated by their own hopes of winning awards, especially with Mbappé.