Kylian Mbappe Picks Ballon d'Or Winner, Skips Ceremony

Kylian Mbappe has shared his preference for the Ballon d'Or award, but he will not be present at the ceremony, which will be held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. Ousmane Dembele is the favorite to win the award, with other contenders including Lamine Yamal and Vitinha. Mbappe, who has never won the trophy, is not expected to be a top contender.

Players no longer have a say in the award winner, as journalists from 100 FIFA-ranked nations now cast the votes. Despite not attending, Mbappe has expressed his support for Dembele, who won the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain last season.

Mbappe stated that he will watch the ceremony on TV and hopes Dembele emerges victorious. Real Madrid's team boycotted the event last year, and Mbappe will do the same this year. The winner of last year's Ballon d'Or was initially reported to be Vinicius Jr., but it was later revealed to be Rodri from Manchester City.

Real Madrid decided not to attend this year's ceremony after reports leaked about the winner. Vinicius Jr. was a favorite for the award last year but did not win, causing disappointment among the club members. Madrid insiders expressed frustration, stating that the Ballon d'Or no longer holds significance for them.

Madrid criticized the award criteria, claiming it did not respect the club. Vinicius and Jude Bellingham were set to attend the ceremony but their name tags were removed when it became clear they would not be present. Madrid's statement to AFP emphasized their discontent with how the award process unfolded.