The winner of the 2025 Ballon d'Or will be announced today, with the favorite being PSG forward Ousmane Dembele. Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal is the player who could pip him to the trophy, and all will be revealed at the ceremony tonight.
All the talk has been about whether Real Madrid would attend the gala, after the drama of the 2024 ceremony. It was always expected that the team, players, and staff would not make the trip to France, despite having players nominated in several categories.
🫲 @XabiAlonso 🫱 pic.twitter.com/LeEXeP1yVw
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 21, 2025
Los Blancos head coach Xabi Alonso was asked if they would attend his press conference ahead of the Levante game. The Spaniard had zero interest in the gala and gave a reason why.
Tomorrow we have a match against Levante. It's a La Liga match , and this year we're aiming for a lot of points, and every match is very important. That's not my focus. Zero.
Xabi Alonso
It's a legitimate reason, as the night before a big game, they don't want to be flying in and out of another country. Players would be back late, which could affect preparation for the La Liga game against Levante.
Xabi Alons
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
On the other hand, it also serves as a good cover to prevent any further controversy surrounding the club's boycott in 2024. If they did not turn up as expected and there was no game the next day, the media would have a field day picking apart the club. However, the players for the women's team could attend, so it may still happen.
Will Xabi Alonso Be Watching The 2025 Ballon d'Or Ceremony?
The Real Madrid coach was also asked about the ceremony and who the winner may be. He stayed neutral, not revealing who he thinks may win. Alonso said his focus was on Los Blancos' next match in La Liga.
We'll see what happens. I watch a lot of football, but I'm not on the jury and I don't have to vote. We'll see who wins after the ceremony. I haven't given it much thought; I'm thinking about Levante.
Xabi Alonso
⏩ NEXT MATCH
🆚 @LevanteUD
🗓️ 23/09 | 21:30 CEST pic.twitter.com/hAL6IMKrSV
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 21, 2025
It's been a tremendous start to the season for the white club, winning six games out of six in all competitions. In La Liga, they are the only team with a 100% record, having won all five games. They hold a two-point lead over champions Barcelona, and a win against Levante would put the pressure on them again, who play Real Oviedo two days later.
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