This year's Ballon d'Or had an intense emotional toll on its recipients and finalists, as no one had an idea who had emerged as the winner of the award until the public announcement was made.
One of the night's big winners, Alexia Putellas, detailed just how stressful it was to be kept in the dark in this year's edition of the award.
The Spaniard won the women's Ballon d'Or for a third time, and judging by her comments during the interview, this year presented a unique pressure due to the modern secret-winner format.
Her comments have ignited discussions on whether award organizers should inform victors beforehand or preserve the element of surprise.
"There's no way for me to know": Inside the Putellas family suspense
For footballers, winning the most coveted individual prize is a dream shared by all who journeyed on the path to professional football with them, including their families.
For players, living through the week leading up to the gala is an entirely different kind of endurance test.
The difficulty is almost doubled in the case of players who suffered significant setbacks that led them to lose ground in terms of what they achieved in the past.
Reflecting on her historic third Ballon d'Or triumph in an interview with France Football (via L'Equipe), Alexia Putellas offered an insightful glimpse behind closed doors, highlighting the nervous energy that gripped her household.
The London City Lionesses midfielder had not won the award for three years after claiming back-to-back wins in 2021 and 2022, with Aitana Bonmati winning each of the last three editions.
She revealed that nerves had gripped her family members in the week leading up to the gala in London, and her mother would call her multiple times to ask if she had been told that she won.
"All week my family was nervous. Every day, my mom would ask me, “Hey, have they told you anything?” And I'd say, “No, Mom, they don't say anything anymore. You can ask me every day, but there's no way for me to know!" she said.
Under the modern protocol where winners are kept entirely in the dark until the envelope is opened on stage, even elite athletes cannot ease the suspense for their loved ones.
Men's winner Harry Kane almost let out an audible gasp after his name was announced as the winner of the award, as he had no prior knowledge that he had won.
While this strict confidentiality prevents leaks and preserves television drama, it places an undeniable emotional burden on families who spend days guessing and hoping.
Should Ballon d'Or winners be informed ahead of time?
In previous years, Ballon d'Or winners would know of their triumph a few minutes before the announcement is made, as they would be fitted with a microphone ahead of their acceptance speech.
Putellas' candid revelation brings a crucial question back to the forefront of football discourse: Should individual award winners be notified in advance, or is the element of surprise worth the stress?
Both sides can present credible arguments, with proponents of secrecy claiming that blind reveals create genuine, unscripted emotional reactions on stage, heightening television ratings and capturing raw human joy.
On the other side of the divide lies the supporters of advance notification for the winners, who argue that the lack of transparency can backfire, as in the case of Vinicius Junior in 2024, when he missed out on the award by only 41 points.
Upon suspecting that he had failed to win the award, Real Madrid boycotted the event and did not send a single representative, as they felt blindsided by the last-minute outcome.
Another point in favour of advance notification is that it allows winners to prepare meaningful acceptance speeches, coordinate travel logistics without anxiety, and spares families weeks of agonising speculation.
Informing winners ahead ensures dignity and reduces unnecessary stress for everyone involved.
