In a remarkable step, Real Madrid ignored the comment on the nomination of three of its players for the Golden Ball Award 2025, although the club used to celebrate such occasions, which restored the tension in its relationship with the award since last year.
Why did Real Madrid ignore the nominations of its players?
On August 7, 2025, the “France Football” magazine announced the list of thirty candidates for the prestigious award, and included Vinicius Junior and Killian Mbappe, the presence of Beingham from the ranks of the Royal Club. Despite this, Real Madrid did not publish any congratulations or statement on its official website or platforms on the communication sites, contrary to what was customary in previous years.
The background of the break between Real Madrid and the Golden Ball
The current position comes as an extension of what happened in the 2024 edition, when Vinicius Junior was the fortunate to win the award, but information arrived at the club hours before the ceremony confirmed Rodri’s victory. At that time, Real Madrid decided to boycott the ceremony and not to come to Paris, and issued a statement in which he confirmed that “the golden ball no longer exists for us”, as it canceled a special broadcast that was scheduled for the club channel.
The effect of the “Best” award on the club’s position
Weeks after the ceremony, Vinicius won the “Best” award from FIFA, and received it from Gianni Infantino, considering it a culmination of a difficult march. It is noteworthy that Real Madrid contracts stipulate the equality of winning the “Best” with the golden ball in terms of rewards, which reflects the equal view between the two awards inside the club.
Is the boycott repeated in 2025?
As this year’s ceremony is approaching September 22 in Paris, the discussion of the possibility of Real Madrid is increasing again, especially after a season less than expectations and his nominations are limited to only three players. According to the current indicators, the repetition of the scenario last year appears to be the closest option.
