Rodri and Aitana Bonmatí have been crowned the winners of the 2024 Ballon d'Or at the annual football awards ceremony held in Paris. Bonmatí successfully defended her title from 2023, while Rodri claimed the prestigious award for the first time after an outstanding year. The Manchester City and Spain midfielder played a pivotal role in his team's success, helping them secure the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, and the Club World Cup. Vinícius Júnior, the Real Madrid forward, was a strong contender for the award but chose to boycott the ceremony upon learning he had lost out. This decision meant that no representatives from Real Madrid were present to accept the award for the men's club of the year.

Real Madrid has unexpectedly canceled its plans to attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, as the club believes that their Brazilian forward, Vinícius Júnior, will not secure the prestigious award. Sources have informed Reuters that the decision was made shortly before the event. Vinícius, who is just 24 years old, was considered a strong contender for the award, having been named the Champions League player of the year. He was seen as the favorite to win his first Ballon d'Or, ahead of competitors such as Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri and Real Madrid's own English international Jude Bellingham.