As if to illustrate Dermot’s point, let’s see what former and current Real Madrid players have said previously about players and clubs not turning up to the ceremony.
Real are not attending tonight – no player or club representatives – because they expect Manchester City’s Rodri, not Vinicius Junior, to win the men’s award. In 2017, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo criticised Barcelona’s Lionel Messi for not attending.
Modric said: “I don’t want to get into any controversy, but my opinion is that the Barcelona players should have been here.” Ramos added: “It is a bit strange. Two are my Spain teammates, and my friends. They will have their reasons.”
Ronaldo concluded: “I congratulate him when people are there, he was not there today. So it is difficult to congratulate someone when you are not there. When he won other Ballon d’Or awards I congratulated him. But he was not there today.”
In 2018, Modric blasted Ronaldo and Messi for not attending as he won the award. He said: “I cannot speak why someone didn’t turn up at an award ceremony, it’s their choice. It doesn’t make sense, does it? It seems these votes and awards are only significant when they win it.
“It’s unfair to fellow players and voters who have nominated them in the past 10 years, as well as to football and the fans. However, people will act the way they think they ought to.”
