FOOTBALL’S biggest stars arrived in style at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday night – apart from those from Real Madrid.
Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, 28, was pictured on crutches as he made his way down the red card with partner Laura Iglesias.
Rodri attended the Ballon d’Or with partner Laura IglesiasAFP
He arrived on crutches following his ACL injuryReuters
England captain Harry Kane wore a bow tie for the occasionReuters
Real Madrid legend Luis Figo was in Paris for the ceremonyReuters
Chelsea icon Didier Drogba arrived with partner Gabrielle LemaireAFP
Barcelona and Spain superstar Lamine Yamal gave a beaming smile to the camerasPA
The Euro 2024 winner, who is nursing an ACL injury, is expected to pick up the men’s top prize ahead of Real Madrid pair Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
Real Madrid have confirmed nobody from the club will be present at the ceremony after they accused organisers and Uefa of “not respecting” the 15-time European champions.
It led to an awkward moment as the LaLiga giants were named Men’s Club of the Year – with no one present to collect the prize.
But the event at Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet was still packed with a host of star names.
Bayern Munich and England forward Harry Kane, one of 30 players nominated for the men’s award, was in attendance as he wore a suit and bow-tie for the occasion.
He was eventually named tenth best player in the world and picked up the Gerd Muller Award alongside Kylian Mbappe for the top striker in world football after scoring 52 goals last season.
Barcelona and Spain superstar Lamine Yamal was another snapped arriving ahead of picking up the Kopa Trophy for Best Young Player.
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo came third in that category after his stunning breakthrough season, with Real Madrid’s Arda Guler named runner up.
United forward Alejandro Garnacho turned up with partner Eva Garcia, while Aston Villa and Argentina keeper Emi Martinez posed with wife Amanda.
Among the ex-players in attendance were ex-Barcelona, Real Madrid and Portugal star Luis Figo, Chelsea icon Didier Drogba, former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse and Champions League legend Clarence Seedorf.
And it was not just footballers and their partners who showed up for the awards.
ReutersKane receives the Gerd Muller Trophy from Germany legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge[/caption]
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Kopa Trophy nominee Alejandro Garnacho and partner Eva Garcia arrivedPA
It was not just footballers in attendance as actress Natalie Portman showed upReuters
Aston Villa and Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez and wife Amanda looked thrilled to be therePA
Lautaro Martinez and wife Agustina Gandolfo were snapped looking glamorousReuters
Europa League-winning star Ademola Lookman was another notable face on the red carpetEPA
Former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse was in attendance in an eye-catching blazerAFP
Champions League legend Clarence Seedorf with partner Sophia MakramatiReuters
Hollywood A-lister Natalie Portman was another famous face at the ceremony.
The Ballon d’Or is voted for by a panel of journalists representing the top 100 nations in the Fifa rankings.
Vinicius, who scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists last season, is one of six Real Madrid stars who made the shortlist for the men’s award.
He is joined by Carvajal, Bellingham, Fede Valverde, Kylian Mbappe and Antonio Rudiger.
Vinicius was the favourite to scoop the award and Rodri’s expected win has led to Real Madrid boycotting the event.
They told AFP: “If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner.
“As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d’Or-Uefa does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected.”
Ballon d’Or nominees in full
Men’s award
Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Turkey, Inter)
Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid)
Rúben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)
Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich)
Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter )
Kylian Mbappé (France, Paris Saint-Germain / Real Madrid)
Martin Ødegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig / Barcelona)
Cole Palmer (England, Manchester City / Chelsea)
Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
Antonio Rüdiger (Germany, Real Madrid)
Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)
Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Club)
Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)
Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Women’s award
Barbra Banda (Zambia, Shanghai RCB / Orlando Pride)
Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)
Lucy Bronze (England, Barcelona / Chelsea)
Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Barcelona / Arsenal)
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi, Paris Saint-Germain / Olympique Lyonnais)
Grace Geyoro (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Manuela Giugliano (Italy, AS Roma)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)
Patricia Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)
Giulia Gwinn (Germany, Bayern Munich)
Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Manchester City)
Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Olympique Lyonnais)
Lauren Hemp (England, Manchester City)
Lindsey Horan (USA, Olympique Lyonnais)
Lauren James (England, Chelsea)
Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Alyssa Naeher (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
Sjoeke Nüsken (Germany, Chelsea)
Ewa Pajor (Poland, VfL Wolfsburg / Barcelona)
Salma Paralluelo (Spain, Barcelona)
Gabi Portilho (Brazil, Corinthians)
Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)
Mayra Ramírez (Colombia, Levante / Chelsea)
Trinity Rodman (USA, Washington Spirit)
Lea Schüller (Germany, Bayern Munich)
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City)
Sophia Smith (USA, Portland Thorns)
Mallory Swanson (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
Tarciane (Brazil, Corinthians / Houston Dash)
Glódís Viggósdóttir (Iceland, Bayern Munich)
Yashin Trophy
Diogo Costa (Portugal, Porto)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
Gregor Kobel (Switzerland, Borussia Dortmund)
Andriy Lunin (Ukraine, Real Madrid)
Mike Maignan (France, Milan)
Giorgi Mamardashvili (Georgia, Valencia)
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
Unai Simón (Spain, Athletic Club)
Yann Sommer (Switzerland, Inter)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
Kopa Trophy
Pau Cubarsí (Spain, Barcelona)
Alejandro Garnacho (Argentina, Manchester United)
Arda Güler (Turkey, Real Madrid)
Karim Konaté (Ivory Coast, Salzburg)
Kobbie Mainoo (England, Manchester United)
João Neves (Portugal, Benfica / Paris Saint-Germain)
Savinho (Brazil, Girona / Manchester City)
Mathys Tel (France, Bayern Munich)
Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Warren Zaïre-Emery (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Men’s coach award
Xabi Alonso (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
Carlo Ancelotti (Italy, Real Madrid)
Luis de la Fuente (Spain, Spain national team)
Gian Piero Gasperini (Italy, Atalanta)
Pep Guardiola (Spain, Manchester City)
Lionel Scaloni (Argentina, Argentina national team)
Women’s coach award
Sonia Bompastor (France, Olympique Lyonnais / Chelsea)
Arthur Elias (Brazil, Corinthians / Brazil national team)
Jonatan Giráldez (Spain, Barcelona / Washington Spirit)
Emma Hayes (England, Chelsea / USA national team)
Filipa Patão (Portugal, Benfica)
Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands, England national team)
Men club of the year award
Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Girona (Spain)
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
Manchester City (England)
Real Madrid (Spain)
Women’s club of the year award
Barcelona (Spain)
Chelsea (England)
NJ/NY Gotham (USA)
Olympique Lyonnais (France)
Paris Saint-Germain (France)