Real Madrid fans have got used to the goodbye side of things as of late. Every year, it is someone or the other.
Real Madrid players have been leaving like it is the end of a concert. This season, it was Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez who got the farewells they deserved. Carlo Ancelotti also got a chance to say goodbye, which was emotional.
Vazquez had a farewell ceremony of his own last week, and there was a lot of discourse around why Real Madrid players, apart from Kylian Mbappe, Andriy Lunin and former player Marcelo, did not attend it, even though Vazquez was such a lovable and respected figure in the squad.
I get the sentiment that many media outlets are trying to portray - it looks bad on Real Madrid players. They should support their player, but the reason was clear.
Real Madrid players deserved their vacation after a gruelling season
Everyone was at the end of the longest Real Madrid season in their history. It started in August of 2024, and went on till the middle of July of 2025.
68 games. It is not a joke, not at all. Every player deserved their right to go on a much-needed holiday after a gruelling season like this one - especially one that ended without any major silverware.
Let's also not act like this was the first time something like this had happened. Karim Benzema left the club in 2023, and he had a similar ceremony after the end of the season.
In that ceremony, there weren't many Real Madrid players who were there to say goodbye to one of the greatest players in the club's storied history.
So why is there so much fuss this time? These players don't have much time to go on vacation, as the next season starts very soon. Also, there are players like Jude Bellingham who are recovering from injuries or surgeries.
All in all, it would've been brilliant to have the full Real Madrid squad say goodbye to Vazquez - and it would have been deserved, but it is also completely understandable for them to not be able to do so for one reason or the other.