The football world is abuzz with anticipation as the Ballon d’Or winner is set to be revealed — and all signs point to Cristiano Ronaldo taking home the prestigious award once again. However, fans expecting a live appearance from the Portuguese superstar will be disappointed. With Ronaldo currently in Japan for the FIFA Club World Cup, it has been confirmed that he won’t be attending the Paris ceremony in person. Instead, he has already pre-recorded a video for the awards gala, a move that has caught the attention of fans worldwide, including those following BD Cricket Matchs with similar passion for global sports drama.
Just a day after helping Real Madrid secure a narrow 3–2 win over Deportivo La Coruña in La Liga, Ronaldo and his teammates boarded a long-haul flight to Japan. The squad landed after a 13.5-hour journey and checked into the Royal Park Hotel in Yokohama. Gareth Bale was the only key absentee due to injury. As the Ballon d’Or ceremony unfolds on Monday evening in Paris, Ronaldo will be thousands of miles away — proving even a global icon can’t be in two places at once.
Interestingly, the ceremony this year will be a more modest affair, held in Paris rather than the grand joint event previously organized with FIFA in Zurich. This shift aligns with Ronaldo’s absence but hasn’t dampened speculation. Last Friday, the star appeared at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground sporting a new hairstyle — with golden streaks in his hair, a change that did not go unnoticed. The timing was suspiciously close to the Ballon d’Or reveal, prompting many to wonder if it was a subtle celebration in advance.
Reports suggest that France Football — the award’s organizing magazine — arranged a private photoshoot in Madrid last Thursday and Friday. As Ronaldo had no available time over the weekend due to his tight schedule, these sessions were likely the only window to capture his official winner’s portraits and video. Insiders even speculate that Ronaldo’s golden hairstyle might have been specially designed for the shoot.
With the winner officially announced on Monday and the magazine hitting stands on Tuesday, the pre-recorded footage and photography only add fuel to the belief that Ronaldo is once again the chosen one. Much like in BD Cricket Matchs, where anticipation and spectacle heighten every reveal, Ronaldo’s expected triumph is being choreographed with cinematic flair — even from across the globe.