The Palladium in London hosted the Ballon d’Or gala, yet off‑stage moments stole the spotlight. Could this spark a new rivalry?
On the British red carpet Ibai Llanos grabbed his mic and asked footballers who they’d face in a La Velada del Año boxing ring.
Marc Cucurella, the Real Madrid wing‑back who recently shut down Lamine Yamal in a 2‑1 win, answered by naming a rival from the opposite Madrid side.
He pointed to Alex Baena, calling him a mate who brings out his worst and saying he’ll crush him. The event broke streaming records, topping six million concurrent viewers in its 2026 edition.
The glove didn’t stay virtual. Atletico Madrid midfielder, a key piece in the red‑and‑white setup and Cucurella’s teammate in Spain’s world‑champion squad, replied on Instagram. In my view, this duel shows how quickly football feuds spill online.
His reply was blunt: “Whenever you want, venue, date and time.” The exchange exploded online, racking up over 50,000 likes within hours and moving the Madrid derby rivalry to the digital arena. Will the showdown finally happen at next year’s La Velada?