Real Madrid took the bizarre decision to boycott the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday evening. Perhaps their request to share a plane with rivals Atlético was denied. At least they didn’t make a song and dance about it.

A number of their players were vocal on Twitter (ensuingly X). Even elder statesman Carlo Ancelloti made a not so subtle reference to the players who had been ‘overlooked’ in an otherwise gracious post.

France Football have done well to boost the profile of the award over the last twenty years. Nobody really batted an eyelid when a fresh-faced Michael Owen won in 2001. Interest in the award has skyrocketed thanks in no small part to the rivalry between Lionel Messi (8 awards) and Cristiano Ronaldo (5 awards). Discussion surrounding the prize largely takes place on social media and in school playgrounds. Rio Ferdinand was widely mocked for his video in which he shouted “Ballon d’Or” numerous times while watching eventual runner-up Vinicius Jr. Rightly so.

The concept of individual awards in a sport that is so team-centric does not sit well with me. But even if it did, the decision was far from scandalous. It was a weak year for individual performances statistically. We have become used to freak numbers thanks to those aforementioned superhumans, and neither winner Rodri nor Vinicius were likely to compete on that front. The claims for both of those individuals, ironically, centred around the achievements of their respective club and/or national teams throughout the year. This was not a case of somebody scoring 100 goals and still missing out.

The award is given based upon the votes of journalists, making Real Madrid’s decision even more peculiar. This was not akin to Woody Allen boycotting the Academy Awards. The journalists selected vary in nationality, background, and allegiance, and each of their votes counts equally.

The only logical explanation for Real Madrid’s actions is that they were trying to change the narrative following their embarrassing defeat to Barcelona at the weekend. In which case, they’ve done quite well. Is there an award for that?

So, Real Madrid, boycott the award if you wish. It’s an irrelevance. Just do it quietly next time. 

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By Leon Parrott