Shock twist as Real Madrid set to skip Ballon d’Or gala with Vinicius Jr. not expected to win | OneFootball

We are merely hours away from getting to know who will win the 2024 Ballon d’Or, with the ceremony set to start in an hour.

Heading into this ceremony, Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Manchester City’s Rodri have emerged as the two frontrunners.

A few days ago, a win for Vinicius was almost taken for granted, following his blazing performances during the 2023/24 campaign.

However, in the hours leading up to the Ballon d’Or gala, many outlets have started claiming that Rodri might emerge as the surprise winner.

Doubts creeping into Vinicius’ camp

With just hours left before the final outcome, it appears the tension has crept into the camp of Vinicius Junior as well.

According to Fabrice Hawkins, Vinicius’ entourage believes the Brazilian will not win the Ballon d’Or this year.

Vinicius may miss out on the Ballon d’Or title (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

This is a significant development, which supports the rumours earlier in the day about a potential victory for Rodri.

The Manchester City midfielder was by far the best midfielder in Europe last season, notably securing the Premier League title as well as the European Championship.

Vinicius, too, won the Champions League and the La Liga title, and the Real Madrid camp had taken his Ballon d’Or triumph for granted. But recent reports indicate otherwise.

In fact, Jose Luis Sanchez is now reporting that Rodri has indeed won the Ballon d’Or and as a result, the Real Madrid delegation is set to skip the event, as a sign of protest against the decision.

More details are likely to come out in the next few hours, as the Ballon d’Or gala kicks off.