The Golden Ball award ceremony is one of the most important events in the world of football. That is where the best players and coaches are honored in front of millions of global audiences. However, Real Madrid - a club that was proud to have many stars winning this award - has chosen to "turn their backs" for 2 consecutive years. It was not an unusual decision, but a thorny political statement from Florentino Perez, the president in absolute power at the Bernabeu.
Shooting yourself in the foot
Last year, the whole of Europe was surprised when Real Madrid suddenly canceled their plans to attend the awards ceremony, just a few hours before the event took place. The reason is simple but also confusing: none of the 7 Madrid players nominated to win. Vinicius Junior - the most anticipated player, and Jude Bellingham ranked second and third respectively. The winning factor was Rodri from Manchester City. People at the club, perhaps the majority, think it was a bad decision, especially the timing and way it was reported, one employee shared. It was very disappointing.
The consequence of the "turnaround" was that Carlo Ancelotti could not directly receive the Best Coach award. He only took it last week, when he was Brazil coach. Real Madrid also did not have a representative on stage to receive the Club of the Year award. As some sources from within the club say, that behavior is like a "shoot in the foot" in the media. Because instead of maintaining the image of a big team that knows how to respect the common playground, Madrid sent the message: "If we don't win, we don't play".
This year, the script is repeated. Although there are also many candidates on the nomination list - from Vinicius, Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe to Thibaut Courtois - no one from Madrid goes to Paris. Even on official media channels, from the website to social networks of the Royal team, news about the Golden Ball is completely news. As if it had never existed.
In the women's team, Caroline Weir was nominated for the women's category and will participate, but Los Blancos have not publicly congratulated her. Linda Caicedo's nomination for the U21 tournament was also not honored. A deliberate, challenging silence, but also painted with bitterness.
Florentino Perez and "surrounded thinking"
To understand this decision, Florentino Perez cannot be ignored. During his 2 terms as Chairman, he has concentrated his power to the point that all final decisions have to come through his hands. A former Bernabeu employee said: Florentino controls everything: Football, media, business, nothing is beyond his reach.
From the failure of the 2021 Super League project to conflicts with UEFA and La Liga, Perez has nurtured a belief that Real Madrid has always been opposed by "external forces". UEFA and President Aleksander Ceferin, the French media, and even the Spanish refereeing community, are all on the "anti-Madridista" list. Some sources familiar with Perez's thinking say UEFA had the impact of keeping Madrid out of last year's tournament, as a result of the club still pushing for the Super League - despite the fact that the Ballon d'Or was decided by 100 independent journalists.
Many veteran staff, especially in the media department, believe the world is against them. This view explains why Real Madrid TV often attack opponents considered "anti-Madridista", from the Spanish referee to Barca President Joan Laporta.
Perez does not directly direct content, but everyone at RMTV clearly understands the direction to follow. A former employee said the TV channel was important to Perez for political propaganda reasons. His unfinished political ambition before becoming a successful businessman seems to be still imprinted in his governance style.
The mentality of fighting the whole world can create a short-term unity, but in the long run, it puts the whole club in a state of constant skepticism. And as a result, Madrid increasingly isolated themselves in a "powerful club" created by Perez.
Brands are also hurt
Real Madrid is a club with top brand value in the world. Part of that strength comes from the ability to maintain a global image to individual titles such as the Ballon d'Or. Perez once proudly showed off the Golden Ball of Galacticos superstars version 1.0 such as: Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Michael Owen and Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema as proof of Madrid's greatness. He even joked that, "there should be a Ballon d'Or award for Best President".
But now, with Madrid turning their backs on the award, the marketing and sponsorship partnership department has to face adversity. Sponsors, who once considered the Ballon d'Or a huge promotional opportunity, have now lost their stage. Fans, instead of enjoying the feeling of pride when their players are honored, are left with disappointment. In the eyes of many, Madrid is turning a global playground into a personal political game.
A decision that could create a flashy image has now become a "thorn" in the partnership. People ask: What is Madrid fighting for? For the rights of the players, or just for the ego of a 78-year-old President?
War with the world
In 22 seasons under Perez, Real Madrid have won 37 titles, with revenue reaching nearly 1.2 billion Euros in the 2024-2025 season - the highest in the world. On-field achievements and undeniable economic profits. But at the same time, invisible battles have left unforgettable scars in the image of the Royal team.
The endless wars with "imagestical friends" still leave a price. In addition to the " Madridista", the club's image was damaged. The people who suffered the losses were not Perez, but the players, coaches and staff - who were forced to live in an environment full of tension and doubt.
That noise is of no use, when it is always against the world, said a former player representative, A club like Real Madrid cannot fight against all: La Liga, UEFA, France Football. Real is big, but the current policy - from refereeing attacks to video production - I really can't understand. You can't always fight against the whole world."
