Real Madrid have canceled their delegation’s plans to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday at the last minute as the club understands their Brazilian striker Vinícius Júnior will not win the male award.

Bookmakers had 24-year-old Vinicius, the Champions League player of the year, as the hot favorite to claim his first Ballon d’Or, which is awarded to the best player in the world, ahead of Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder. Rodri and Real’s England international Jude Bellingham.

Vinicius helped Real to a Champions League and La Liga double last season, alongside 21-year-old Bellingham, who was named La Liga’s MVP after scoring a career-best 19 goals in a sparkling debut season to help England reach the final of Euro 2024.

Rodri, who City manager Pep Guardiola has called ‘the best midfielder in the world’, was instrumental in helping his team win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League trophy last season and was named this year’s best player on the European Championship after Spain set a record. extension of the fourth title.

Real and France Football, which organizes the Ballon d’Or awards, were not immediately available for comment. The awards are based on a vote by a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA countries.