With just a few months to go before the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony, France Football is reportedly planning to meet with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez to discuss two key topics: last year’s controversy surrounding Vinicius Junior and the upcoming ceremony scheduled for next October.
This was one of the biggest stories that made headlines late last year. While everyone expected Madrid’s Vinicius Junior to be crowned the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, France Football‘s voting panel caused a major shock by awarding the prize to Rodri. Stunned by this decision—widely unpopular given the Brazilian winger’s outstanding season, far superior to that of the Manchester City midfielder—Florentino Pérez decided to boycott France Football. At the last minute before the ceremony, the Madrid delegation cancelled their trip and openly criticised the organisers, particularly highlighting UEFA’s shadowy influence in the matter.
Josep Pedrerol’s revelation
As the 2025 edition, set to take place in October at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, draws nearer, renowned El Chiringuito TV host Josep Pedrerol has made a major revelation. A close friend of the Madrid president, the Spanish journalist has revealed that France Football is seeking to ease tensions and secure assurances for the upcoming ceremony.
“France Football wants to hold talks with Florentino Pérez. They will try to clarify what happened and ensure that Real Madrid, should they win an award, will attend next year’s gala. At Real Madrid, they are clear: as long as Ceferín remains in charge, attending will be very difficult for them. If the rules change and UEFA does not interfere with the Ballon d’Or, the situation could be resolved more easily. Talks have not yet taken place, but Florentino Pérez has already been informed of their intention to negotiate,” Josep Pedrerol exclusively reported.
Demands for clarity and guarantees
This is a major announcement that is sure to spark reactions. If the meeting goes ahead, Real Madrid’s president will undoubtedly demand significant changes from the Ballon d’Or organisers. To avoid questionable voting results—such as those seen last year when several journalists from lesser-known nations like El Salvador had a controversial impact on the final decision—Florentino Pérez is likely to insist on guarantees that the process will be reformed before once again taking this award seriously. It must be said: seeing a club of Real Madrid’s stature boycott this event is a significant embarrassment for France Football.
Considering that Kylian Mbappé, a true icon of French football, is currently one of the frontrunners for the next Ballon d’Or, France Football’s initiative is far from meaningless. The real question is whether UEFA’s involvement—as France Football’s new partner in organising this prestigious event—will complicate negotiations or attempts at reconciliation.
It is also worth noting that since the European Super League controversy, spearheaded by Florentino Pérez, relations between Real Madrid and UEFA have completely broken down. Seeing the threat posed by this new competition to its own tournaments, such as the Champions League, UEFA—led by Aleksander Ceferín—has done everything possible to derail the Madrid president’s project.
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