Real Madrid was awarded the title of "Club of the Year" at the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, though they opted not to attend the event. The decision followed the announcement that Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid's top scorer last season, would not be receiving the Ballon d'Or for best men’s player, which went instead to Manchester City’s Rodri. In a statement, Real Madrid expressed its discontent, indicating that the club "does not go where it is not respected." They cited not only Vinicius but also Dani Carvajal, whose contributions they felt deserved recognition, as evidence that the award criteria did not favor their players. The Ballon d'Or organizers maintained that the winners remained a secret until the ceremony, contrary to the club's expectations.
Despite the absence of key Real Madrid players and manager Carlo Ancelotti, both Ancelotti and Kylian Mbappe were recipients of individual accolades. Ancelotti won the Johan Cruyff Trophy for coach of the year, while Mbappe shared the Gerd Muller trophy with Harry Kane as the season’s leading goal-scorers in Europe, each finishing with 44 goals. Ancelotti expressed gratitude in a post on X, particularly acknowledging Vinicius and Carvajal, emphasizing their importance to Real Madrid’s successes. Didier Drogba, hosting the event, conveyed disappointment over Ancelotti's absence, noting the void left by the manager’s nonattendance.
Real Madrid initially had plans for a large delegation and live event coverage on RMTV, which they canceled following the awards outcome. Organizers defended the transparency of the voting process, with selections made by journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations.
However, Real Madrid’s absence cast a shadow over the event, highlighting lingering tensions between the club and the Ballon d'Or-Uefa organizers, particularly over what Real Madrid perceived as a lack of respect for their players and accomplishments.
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