Mbappe to Skip Ballon d’Or Ceremony Amid Real Madrid Rift
Kylian Mbappe has made headlines once again, but this time it’s not for his performances on the pitch. The Real Madrid superstar has confirmed that he will not be attending this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, despite having had an impressive debut season in Spain. His decision reflects not just personal choice, but also an ongoing rift between Real Madrid and the organisers of the prestigious award.
Mbappe’s numbers were outstanding. He scored 44 goals across all competitions and finished as La Liga’s top scorer in his very first season at the Santiago Bernabéu. Normally, such statistics would make him one of the leading contenders for the Golden Ball. However, Mbappe himself admitted that he does not feel he is a realistic candidate, largely because Real Madrid endured a rare trophy-less campaign. For a player of his stature, goals and records are never enough without silverware, and that reality seems to have weighed on his decision.
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But the story runs deeper. Real Madrid’s strained relationship with the Ballon d’Or has been evident since last year, when the club staged a boycott after Rodri edged out Vinicius Jr for the award. Many inside the club felt Vinicius was unfairly overlooked, and their absence from the ceremony was a clear protest. Even though Real players picked up other honours, including Club of the Year and recognition for Carlo Ancelotti, the mood in Madrid was one of frustration. It was claimed that the Ballon d’Or and UEFA showed a lack of “respect” to Real Madrid, and that sentiment has clearly not disappeared.
Efforts have been made to repair the relationship. France Football, the magazine that oversees the award, reportedly sent a delegation to Madrid in hopes of rebuilding trust. But those meetings, according to Spanish media, were unsuccessful. The result is a lingering standoff, with Real Madrid still feeling undervalued on the global stage.
As the next ceremony approaches, speculation grows about who will claim the prize. Ousmane Dembélé and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal are considered leading contenders, while Real Madrid stars are unlikely to feature strongly due to the club’s lack of trophies. Mbappe, despite his brilliance, seems resigned to watching from afar—and he has even expressed support for another player to take home the Golden Ball this year, though he has not placed himself in the conversation.
The ceremony will go ahead in Paris later this month, hosted by Ruud Gullit and Kate Abdo, but it remains unclear whether Real Madrid will send any official representatives. For now, Mbappe’s absence is just another reminder that the Ballon d’Or, once the pinnacle of football recognition, has become a stage where politics, rivalries, and disputes play almost as big a role as performances on the pitch.
In the end, the world will focus on who lifts the golden trophy, but the shadows of Real Madrid’s boycott and Mbappe’s decision will loom large over the event.
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