Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid were noticeably absent from the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony for a second consecutive year.
The biggest stars, managers and clubs in football arrived in Paris to take their places at the Théâtre du Châtelet on Monday evening. Ousmane Dembélé and Lamine Yamal headlined the ceremony, alongside Aitana Bonmatí and Lucy Bronze, but there were several glaring faces missing from the crowd.
Mbappé, who is nominated for the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or award, did not make the trip to France. His fellow nominees Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham were also missing from the festivities.
Kopa Trophy nominee Dean Huijsen and Yashin Trophy nominee Thibaut Courtois did not attend the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony as well, leaving Real Madrid without a single representative at the most prestigious award ceremony in the sport.






