- Real Madrid stirred controversy by boycotting the Ballon d'Or gala which sparked backlash from prominent football figures
- Former France coach Raymond Domenech criticised Madrid’s actions as disrespectful, calling the club's behaviour “pathetic” and “repulsive”
- Despite Real Madrid receiving multiple awards, including Best Men’s Club, Domenech noted that the boycott only stained their reputation and contradicted the club's prestigious image
Monday's Ballon d’Or gala, typically a night of celebration and recognition, found itself clouded in controversy thanks to Real Madrid's decision to boycott.
In what was a surprising move to many, Real Madrid’s key figures manager Carlo Ancelotti, who won the Coach of the Year award, star forward Vinícius Júnior, management and player alike opted out of the ceremony upon discovering that Vinícius wouldn’t be receiving the coveted Ballon d’Or.
This reaction, which many have described as pathetic saw backlash from figures across the football world, including former France coach Raymond Domenech, who didn’t mince words in his assessment of the Spanish club’s actions.
He voiced a growing sentiment within the football community that Real Madrid's absence was not only an affront to the organizers but an unnecessary slight to the entire ceremony,
“Real is said, and Real itself wants to be said, that it is a big club. Meanwhile, it turned out that it is a small club. Very small! What Real did is absolutely pathetic, they showed a lack of respect for football, for the other participants in the gala, for the winners. It is something downright repulsive.”
The basis for Real Madrid’s nonattendance supposedly stemmed from the Spanish club's demand to know in advance whether Vinícius would win,
“How is it possible that they demanded information about who would win when the results were still secret, hidden?, to pressure the organisers to either tell us that ours won or we won't come? That is something incredible! Especially since no one harassed them in these elections.”
“Horrible, I repeat horrible behaviour from a club that calls itself great. Someone summed them up well when he said something like: "Real doesn't start a match until it knows what the result will be”
Domenech continued to blast Madrid’s actions, stating,
“They need to understand that the whole world of football doesn't revolve around them. Real has a white shirt, but yesterday in my opinion that shirt was badly stained.”
With criticism mounting, Real Madrid’s actions have raised questions about the club’s values, suggesting that even the biggest clubs must balance their ambition with respect for the sport's traditions and events.
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