The Brazilian forward was considered a strong contender for the men's award, but speculation regarding his chances arose after he opted not to travel to the event. This decision was made by his club, Real Madrid, as confirmed by a source close to Vinícius who requested anonymity due to restrictions on discussing the player's situation publicly.
This year marks a significant shift, as neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo—who have collectively won the prestigious award 13 times—are in contention for the first time since 2003.
Rodri, the Manchester City and Spain midfielder, seems to be in a favorable position to claim the award. He was seen arriving at the gala on crutches after sustaining an ACL injury while playing for his club last month.
On the women's side, Aitana Bonmatí of Barcelona and Spain, who won the 2023 award, is again a leading candidate. She will face competition from her Barcelona teammates Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo, both of whom are Champions League and Spanish league winners.
The Ballon d’Or, established by France Football magazine, has been awarded to men since 1956 and to women since 2018. Voting is conducted by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings.
Each journalist, one per country, ranks 10 players, with points assigned based on their positions. The player with the highest total points is declared the winner. Unlike FIFA's annual best player awards, fan votes are not included in the Ballon d’Or selection process.