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RFEF president Rafael Louzan has slammed Real Madrid and club president Florentino Perez for skipping the Ballon d'Or 2024 ceremony. Los Blancos did not participate in the ceremony as a protest for Vinicius Junior missing out on the coveted prize.
The Brazilian was the frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or last year following an outstanding season with the LaLiga champions. Vinicius finished the 2023-24 campaign with 23 goals and 13 assists from 39 games across competitions for Real Madrid. His efforts helped the club win the league, the Champions League, and the Supercopa de Espana.
The 24-year-old was expected to win the Ballon d'Or later that year, however, Manchester City's Rodri took home the award. The Spaniard won the Premier League last season with Manchester City, before lifting Euro 2024 with La Roja last summer.
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Just hours before the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, Los Blancos apparently learned that Rodri had won the award ahead of Vinicius. The LaLiga giants were furious with the decision and decided not to attend the ceremony held at Theatre du Chatalet in Paris on October 28, 2024.
Speaking on the matter, as cited by Madrid Universal, Louzan insisted that it was a very poor gesture from the club.
"Real Madrid is a great club and Florentino Pérez is a very respectful person. But I think the club's attitude during Rodri's victory at the Ballon d'Or was not up to par," said Louzan.
Interestingly, Vinicius Junior won The Best FIFA Men's Player of the Year award later in December.
How many goals has Vinicius Junior scored for Real Madrid this season?
Vinicius Junior's future at Real Madrid was subject to speculation last summer following Kylian Mbappe's arrival from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The Brazilian, however, ended up staying at the Santiago Bernabeu, amid growing interest in his services from the Middle East.
Despite the presence of Mbappe, Vinicius has held his own this season and remains a key figure in the team. The Brazilian has scored 16 goals and set up 10 more from 27 games across competitions this campaign.
Recent reports have suggested that clubs from Saudi Arabia remain hot on his heels and are apparently willing to offer Real Madrid €300m for his signature. They are reportedly ready to hand the player a five-year deal worth €1bn. However, it has also been reported that Los Blancos are already planning to tie him down to a new deal.
