- La Liga club Real Madrid recently boycotted the Ballon d'Or ceremony after Rodri won over Vinícius Júnior
- La Liga President Javier Tebas has openly criticised Madrid’s decision, calling it “unnecessary self-victimization”
- Tebas, a lifelong Madrid fan, claims the club should return to its values of sportsmanship and respect
Spanish giant Real Madrid recently made the headlines for the wrong reasons after they cancelled their planned trip to the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, with the club reportedly frustrated that Manchester City’s Rodri would be crowned winner over their star, Vinícius Júnior.
The decision to boycott the event held by French football has stirred up a media storm and sparked a critical response from none other than La Liga President Javier Tebas.
Tebas didn't hold back in his comments on the decision, calling it “unnecessary self-victimisation” on Real Madrid’s part. Speaking to the press, he stressed that the Spanish club’s reaction was “exaggerated,” stating that this isn’t an isolated incident but rather a broader pattern of Real’s behaviour,
“I think Real Madrid lost that mentality a long time ago. They should have gone to the ceremony and not questioned the French football system, which is transparent, with 100 journalists voting. Real Madrid's victimhood is senseless and exaggerated. I don't know where they are going. We also experience this lack of elegance in Spain.”
While Real Madrid’s management may feel aggrieved by the award result, it wasn’t all losses for the club at the Ballon d'Or gala.
Despite no one from Real Madrid attending, the club was recognised as the best club of the season, and manager Carlo Ancelotti received the award for best coach of the year. Real players Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal also placed in the top four finalists.
Nevertheless, the absence of any Madrid representative raised eyebrows across Europe, with critics accusing the club of being overly sensitive and damaging its public image.
Tebas, a self-acclaimed Madrid fan, expressed his disappointment stressing that
“I'm a Madrid fan. The important values of this club are to be a gentleman and to shake hands when you lose.”
Interestingly, Tebas also commented on Kylian Mbappé’s situation, countering suggestions that the French star might have a fleeting impact on Spanish football,
“A player doesn't make a competition. The effects of his arrival can't be calculated in three months. Mbappé hasn't forgotten how to play football. He will bring joyful afternoons and nights to all of Madrid and to all of Spanish football. He was a star and will continue to be a star. In Spain we are often very impatient…”
With Tebas firmly speaking his truth in the press, it remains to be seen how Real Madrid will respond amid mounting public scrutiny.
Real Madrid sets new record with UEFA Super Cup, Mbappé's debut goal
Previously, TheRadar reported that as the European football season begins, Real Madrid wasted no time reaffirming their European superiority with a 2-0 victory over last season’s Europa League winners, Atalanta, in the UEFA Super Cup.
Kylian Mbappé, who made his much-anticipated debut on Wednesday, August 14, in Warsaw, Poland, found the back of the net after 68 minutes into his Real Madrid career.
