The Ballon d’Or ceremony got underway on Monday night in the absence of Real Madrid stars Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham after the Spanish club said it would boycott it over a perceived snub of its players.

Vinicius was not among the nominees, who paraded onto the stage at the Chatelet Theatre where the ceremony was held. He was featured in a video montage shown to guests at the ceremony and TV viewers.