“Real Madrid’s position is incomprehensible.” The Ballon d’Or organization informed the Spanish news agency EFE of not having understood and digested the Iberian club’s decision to cancel the trip to Paris, where the awards gala will be held this evening, as it is certain that its star Vinicius Junior he will not be the winner of this edition, as many predicted.
Unlike previous editions, the organizers underline, France Football and UEFA – who have been organizing the evening together since this year – did not inform the winner in advance, nor was there the traditional interview and photo session with the trophy in view of the next issue of the French magazine. Not even the winner’s club was informed by the organization which is why they consider ‘Real Madrid’s position incomprehensible’.
This is the list of 30 candidates:
Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Türkiye – Inter)
Dani Carvajal (Spain – Real Madrid)
Rúben Dias (Portugal – Manchester City)
Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine – Dnipro, Girona, Rome)
Phil Foden (England – Manchester City)
Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain – Bayer Leverkusen)
Erling Haaland (Norway – Manchester City)
Mats Hummels (Germany – Borussia Dortmund, Rome)
Harry Kane (England – Bayern Munich)
Toni Kroos (Germany – Real Madrid)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria – Atalanta)
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina – Aston Villa)
Lautaro Martínez (Argentina – Inter)
Kylian Mbappé (France – Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid)
Martin Ødegaard (Norway – Arsenal)
Dani Olmo (Spain – Leipzig, Barcelona)
Cole Palmer (England – Manchester City, Chelsea)
Declan Rice (England – Arsenal)
Rodri (Spain – Manchester City)
Antonio Rüdiger (Germany – Real Madrid)
Bukayo Saka (England – Arsenal)
William Saliba (France – Arsenal)
Federico Valverde (Uruguay – Real Madrid)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil – Real Madrid)
Vitinha (Portugal – Paris Saint-Germain)
Nico Williams (Spain – Athletic Club)
Florian Wirtz (Germany – Bayer Leverkusen)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland -Bayer Leverkusen)
Lamine Yamal (Spain – Barcelona)