Fury over Vinicius Jr’s Ballon d’Or snub as attendee holds up his shirt on the red carpet in protest and Real Madrid stars’ names are removed from seats ahead of ceremony after prickly statement

There were protests on Monday over Vinicius Junior‘s surprise Ballon d’Or snub, with the winger refusing to attend the ceremony, believing the result is a foregone conclusion. 

Vinicius appeared the hot favourite to take home the award in Paris but Manchester City midfielder Rodri is pipped him in a shock twist.

The development sparked fury at Real Madrid and the club’s large delegation, including numerous players and staff members, boycotted the lavish ceremony. 

Attendees expressed their own anger and one content creator, Luva de Pedreiro, was photographed holding up a Vinicius shirt on the red carpet. 

Another blogger at the glitzy Theatre du Chatelet filmed the red chairs at the very front of the room, where the likes of Vinicius and Jude Bellingham would have sat. 

One content creator staged a protest over the snub while on the red carpet at the ceremony

Madrid boycotted the ceremony with Vinicius and Jude Bellingham’s seats without tags

However, the two seats closest to the centre aisle, which were believed to have been reserved for the two Madrid superstars, had name tags removed. 

This  confirmed that the two players would not be in attendance.

Rodri was spotted arriving at the ceremony on crutches before he posed for snaps on the red carpet alongside his girlfriend Laura Iglesias.

In response to Madrid’s boycott, the organisers of the Ballon d’Or said in a statement: ‘No player and no club knows the winner of this year’s Ballon d’Or yet.’ 

RMC reported that Madrid president Florentino Perez was furious with the decision, despite Los Blancos being set to win the Club of the Year award.

Journalist Jose Luis Sanchez claimed a 50-strong Madrid party was scheduled to travel, only for them to cancel the trip after discovering Vinicius would not win. 

Rodri, the expected winner, arrived for the awards with his girlfriend Laura Iglesias

Bellingham was among the 50-strong Madrid party that abruptly cancelled their planned trip

Madrid president Florentino Perez was said to be furious with the decision to overlook Vinicius

Sources at the club labelled the snub ‘historic robbery,’ ESPN Brazil say. 

Marca, meanwhile, have reported that Madrid insiders have declared ‘the Ballon d’Or no longer exists for us’.

A furious statement from Madrid to AFP said: ‘If the award criteria doesn’t give it to Vinicius as the winner, 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.’