Los Blancos coach Xabi Alonso explains Real Madrid's no-show at Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - 'Not thinking about it'
Updated 22/09/2025 at 16:42 GMT+1
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Real Madrid will again be absent from the Ballon d'Or ceremony, despite nominations for Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. Manager Xabi Alonso insisted the club are fully focused on Tuesday's La Liga clash with Levante as they look to extend their 100% start to the new season. Real Madrid controversially boycotted last year's Ballon d'Or ceremony.
'We have a game to play' - Alonso on Real Madrid's no-show for 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony
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Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said he is "not thinking about" the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony when asked why the club would not be attending Monday's ceremony.
Los Blancos boycotted last year's event after it emerged that favourite Vinicius Junior would lose out to Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
And they will be absent again, with Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal the frontrunners for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.
"We have a match tomorrow [Tuesday] against Levante in La Liga," Alonso said in a press conference when asked why they would be absent from the ceremony in Paris.
"We have many points at stake and all the matches are important. I am not thinking about it [Ballon d'Or]. I am just focused on Levante."
Asked for his view on who might win the award, Alonso said: "We’ll see what happens. I watch a lot of football, but it’s not my topic.
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Who do our pundits pick for the Ballon d'Or?
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"I don’t have to vote - we’ll see who wins after the gala. I haven’t thought about it too much."
Alonso was also asked about last year's Ballon d'Or contender Vinicius, who cut a frustrated figure after being withdrawn in the second half of Saturday's La Liga win over Espanyol.
The Brazilian was left out of the side for the UEFA Champions League clash with Marseille last week, but Alonso insisted he is "happy" with Vinicius' performances.
"I am happy with what he is doing," Alonso said. "We have just started the season, and we have still a lot to play.
"He must continue being an important player for the team and feel himself comfortable. There are still a lot matches to play."
Real Madrid's victory over Espanyol made it five wins from five in La Liga under new boss Alonso.
"After the match, I spoke with the players and all were very happy," he added. "Obviously, because we won the match, but also because of the feeling of the team.
"They want to keep improving and that’s what we need to do to play as a team and to have a team spirit to face all the challenges of the team.
"Also, all the players understand their role within the team and that all of them add something to the team.
"I am very happy although I think we can do it better. We can do better in the last third of the attack, being more clinical or just in our game we must keep evolving.
"We must continue wanting to do things differently, but the base is there, and it is solid for what we want to do this season. All the players are well."
Who are the nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or?
On August 7, 30 nominees were announced for the Ballon d’Or.
These were chosen by a committee, made up of journalists from France Football and L’Equipe.
BALLON D'OR NOMINEES:
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid and England)
- Ousmane Dembele (PSG and France)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG* and Italy)
- Desire Doue (PSG and France)
- Denzel Dumfries (Inter and Netherlands)
- Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)
- Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP* and Sweden)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City and Norway)
- Achraf Hakimi (PSG and Morocco)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich and England)
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG and Georgia)
- Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona and Poland)
- Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool and Argentina)
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter and Argentina)
- Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid and France)
- Scott McTominay (Napoli and Scotland)
- Nuno Mendes (PSG and Portugal)
- Joao Neves (PSG and Portugal)
- Michael Olise (Bayern Munich and France)
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea and England)
- Pedri (Barcelona and Spain)
- Raphinha (Barcelona and Brazil)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal and England)
- Fabian Ruiz (PSG and Spain)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)
- Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool and Netherlands)
- Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid and Brazil)
- Vitinha (PSG and Portugal)
- Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen* and Germany)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona and Spain)
*- has since moved club
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