Another Ballon d'Or shock! Two Real Madrid superstars refuse to travel to London
Real Madrid's highly anticipated return to the Ballon d'Or ceremony has taken an unexpected twist. Despite the club ending its boycott, two of its biggest stars have decided not to attend the prestigious event in London.
Details: According to Spanish newspaper AS, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham will not travel to London for the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony on October 26. Both players have decided to remain in Madrid despite being nominated for the men's award. Club president Florentino Pérez will also be absent. The report confirms that Madrid's delegation is travelling without the Brazilian winger and English midfielder, although their individual reasons for staying behind have not been officially explained.
The decision is particularly striking given Madrid's complicated history with the award. In 2024, the Spanish giants cancelled their delegation after learning that Vinícius would not win the Ballon d'Or, which was ultimately awarded to Rodri. The club also stayed away from the following ceremony. This year, however, relations with the organisers have improved and Madrid have decided to return.
Kylian Mbappé and Marc Cucurella are among the players representing Real Madrid in London. The club's delegation is headed by Emilio Butragueño, while Yan Diomande and women's football nominee Felicia Schröder are also expected to attend. The absences of Vinícius, Bellingham and Pérez nevertheless mean the Spanish giants will not be represented by all their most prominent figures.
It's worth noting that Real Madrid have four nominees for the men's Ballon d'Or: Mbappé, Vinícius, Bellingham and Cucurella. The ceremony takes place at London's Palladium Theatre on October 26, beginning at 20:00 GMT. The decision not to attend does not establish either player's final ranking, which will only become known when the official results are announced.
Reminder: The boycott is truly over! Real Madrid send two stars to London for Ballon d'Or.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
