A Ballon d'Or executive has denied the final rankings for this year's award were leaked amid claims Real Madrid are boycotting the ceremony.
Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior was heavily regarded as the natural option to win the award for the world's best player of 2024 at Monday's ceremony, but it was claimed earlier in the day that the Madrid star will lose out to Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri.
Madrid's collective outrage has resulted in the club boycotting the awards, with Vinicius and his team-mates and fellow contenders Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger and Federico Valverde all refusing to attend.
However, Ballon d'Or executive Marc Las has spoken out to dismiss the rumours that the winner has already been announced, as he insisted that only two people are aware of the final results, and he is one of them.
"Only two people know the winner, me and the chief of France football. Anyone who says they know the winner or have a list is a liar," Las told L'Equipe.
The Ballon d'Or ceremony gets underway on Monday evening. As well as the best men's player, awards will be given out for the women's player of the year, as well as the top coaches across the men's and women's game among other prizes.
(Goal)