The pivotal 24-hour period in Paris that led to Rodri being awarded the Ballon d'Or.
Gossip started to spread on Sunday evening that Florentino Pérez might opt out of the trip to Paris. "For the first time this year, the victor will not have their photo taken or be interviewed in advance," France Football had communicated to the Ballon d'Or nominees since the shortlist was revealed in September. The intention behind this change was to discourage any potential winners from declining their invitations to the ceremony, a scenario that had played out before with high-profile players like Messi and Ronaldo. Consequently, all nominees were aware that the identity of the winner would remain undisclosed until the actual moment of the prize reveal. Moreover, as AS reported, Nike, the sportswear giant backing the two frontrunners, Vinicius and Rodri, had prepared golden boots for both, showing their neutrality amidst the unpredictability of the result. The rumors started on Sunday night Rodri, who would later be crowned the winner, attended the ceremony with his family and staff, irrespective of the outcome. His travel arrangements remained consistent: he touched down in Paris on Monday around noon, checked into a renowned hotel, and approached the ceremony with the aspiration of claiming the accolade. On Sunday night, there were last-minute whispers that Florentino Pérez would not be making the journey to Paris. No clear rationale was provided for this decision, beyond conjecture that Vinicius might not be the one taking home the honor. Although Rodri was not the presumed favorite, he began to entertain the possibility of winning. This was more speculation than fact: if Madrid's president was absent and none of their players were honored, Rodri could potentially become the leading candidate. On Monday morning, two leaked lists made their way onto social media, one suggesting Rodri as the winner and the other suggesting Vinicius. This only added to the existing speculation and uncertainty. The final hint came from the airports: while Rodri arrived in Paris without any issues, Madrid decided against traveling, indicating a lack of confidence in their prospects. Throughout the day at the Théâtre du Châtelet, there was lingering doubt. Rodri was careful not to get his hopes up, even though many thought he was a shoo-in for the win. He was kept in the dark; there was no official notification to him or his team about their status as winners prior to the ceremony, so he sat in anticipation, waiting for the announcement. France Football's new approach created an air of tension and made the past 24 hours surrounding the Ballon d'Or the most unpredictable in recent history. In the end, Rodri was declared the winner, while Madrid stayed home, doubting their chances of success. However, the votes were tallied, and the outcome was clear: the trophy was destined for the Spaniard.
