### Real Madrid to Skip Ballon d'Or Ceremony Amid Controversy Over Award Outcome

Sources have informed ESPN that Vinícius Júnior and his Real Madrid teammates will not attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris on Monday. The team is staying away in response to the belief that Manchester City's Rodri is set to receive the esteemed award. Vinícius, 24, emerged as a strong candidate for the 2024 men's Ballon d'Or after playing a pivotal role in Real Madrid's LaLiga and Champions League double victory last season.

Vinícius isn't the only Madrid player opting out of the event. Prominent names such as Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Kylian Mbappé, Antonio Rüdiger, and Federico Valverde, along with Andriy Lunin, who is nominated for best goalkeeper, and Arda Güler, nominated for the Kopa Trophy, will also be absent. Even coach Carlo Ancelotti, nominated for best coach, will not attend. The event is organized by France Football in collaboration with UEFA.

A source within the club has labeled Vinícius not winning the award as "unfair" and "a disgrace," and another source views the decision as "a historic robbery." This protest by non-attendance is a statement against what they consider an unjust outcome. Vinícius had scored an impressive 15 LaLiga goals last season and added six more in the Champions League, making significant contributions during critical matches against Bayern Munich in the semifinals and Borussia Dortmund in the final.

In Madrid, there had been growing confidence that Vinícius was the frontrunner to win the award. Last week, Ancelotti even expressed his belief that Vinícius would emerge victorious. A win would have marked the first time a Brazilian clinched the men's Ballon d'Or since Kaká in 2007.

The 2023 Ballon d'Or was won by Lionel Messi, bringing his tally to eight, further reinforcing his legendary status. In contrast, last year's award went to Real Madrid's Karim Benzema. Vinícius recently showcased his talents with a second-half hat trick in Real Madrid's 5-2 Champions League comeback against Dortmund but faced disappointment in a 4-0 loss to Barcelona in the recent Clásico.

On the other hand, Rodri's contributions were instrumental in Manchester City's Premier League title in the 2023-24 season, and he also played a crucial role in Spain's victory at Euro 2024.