Home » Cristiano Ronaldo refused to vote at Ballon d’Or ceremony

Cristiano Ronaldo refused to vote at Ballon d’Or ceremony

Cristiano Ronaldo has been an ever-present at previous Ballon d’Or ceremonies, but this year was different as the Man United great refused to vote.

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr snubbed as Man City midfielder Rodri won the honorable award, creating a shock wave of debates around the football world.

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Ronaldo, the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner, did not make the list of this year’s 30 nominees and also was an ever-present at the award ceremonies in the past. However, this week, the former Man United and Real Madrid great was nowhere to be seen at the 2024 event.

As a former Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo reserves the right to attend all future ceremonies regardless of if he’s up for the main prize.

But Ronaldo snubbed his invite and reportedly didn’t vote for the Kopa Trophy winner, for the consecutive time.

Ronaldo’s no-show came amid a dramatic night of action in Paris, during which no Real Madrid delegates turned up to the event as an act of boycott for Vinicius Jr missing out on the Ballon d’Or.

Ballon d’Or holder speak as Ronaldo snubbed

Speaking to The Times and quoted by the Express, the Ballon d’Or award chief Vincent Garcia said:

“Winners have the right to come back to all future ceremonies but they don’t all come, some are very upset with us.

“I don’t know for certain Cristiano is, I don’t talk to him directly, but I know for example that former winners vote for the Kopa Trophy – for the best young player – and Cristiano didn’t vote last year and he didn’t vote this year either.”

Unsurprisingly, talented teen Lamine Yamal took home the Kopa Trophy after a stellar breakout season for the Barcelona starlet and pulled a brilliant performance as Spain won the Euro.

Barca’s wonder kid followed in the footsteps of his fellow La Masia graduates, Gavi and Pedri, as a Kopa Trophy winner, with Matthijs de Ligt, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham also previous victors.