Despite their fierce rivalry in the UEFA Champions League and the transfer market, Manchester City and Real Madrid maintain an exceptional relationship at the executive level, starting with the presidents of both clubs. While the two teams are among the top destinations for the world’s best players, it’s clear that not all interactions between them are contentious.

For the first time in the history of the Ballon d'Or, the organizers did not reveal the winner in advance, not even to the players themselves. In the past, the winner would know well ahead of the event, allowing time for media appearances and photo sessions with the trophy. This year, however, that tradition was broken, coinciding with UEFA’s first participation in the ceremony.

Real Madrid points to UEFA as the primary reason Vinicius Jr. was overlooked for the Ballon d'Or, despite his remarkable 2024 season. The winner wasn’t disclosed until mere hours before the gala, leading the club to believe that UEFA sought to embarrass Real Madrid, Europe's most prominent football institution. However, what UEFA did not anticipate was the strong relationship between Manchester City and Real Madrid. In fact, it was Manchester City that informed Florentino Pérez that Rodri would be named the Ballon d'Or winner, thus sparing Real Madrid the potential humiliation of attending the gala with all eyes on Vinicius Jr.

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