It's emerged that Sergio Ramos asked Luis Rubiales to help him win the 2020 Ballon d'Or after the Spaniard put in what he deemed 'special performances' to help Real Madrid lift the La Liga.
The 'special' efforts Ramos is referring to came when football returned after the COVID pandemic mid-season break.
After sport was temporarily suspended in March for the safety of competitors and the general public, La Liga returned in June 2020, and Los Blancos reeled off a 10 game winning streak to snatch the title away from their rivals.
Ramos was of course Madrid captain at the time and his role was instrumental in his team's successes.
Something which Ramos believes entitled him to football's most coveted individual prize.
What did Ramos say to Rubiales?
According to Mundo Deportivo via the Daily Mail, Ramos was recorded in conversation with the President of the Spanish Football Federation sometime between July and August 2020.
With roughly three months to go before the official awards ceremony was scheduled to take place, Ramos can be heard pleading his case with Rubiales and openly begging the influential figure to support him in any way he could.
"You know that I've never asked you for anything but if I want to do it today it's because I think this has been a special year for the performances I've delivered," Ramos told Rubiales.
"I would like you to help me in whatever way you can and use your connections at UEFA linked to the Ballon d'Or.
"I would be grateful to you all my life, not only for me but also because I think Spanish football deserves it very much."
Rubiales' response
Rubiales responded by wishing the Madrid captain luck in the Champions League and suggested that he knew Ramos was the deserving winner of the award, according to the Daily Mail.
He also said that he would bid to help Ramos in any he could, but admitted that he didn't decide the award and therefore couldn't make any promises.
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Whilst Ramos enjoyed a brilliant 2020 campaign, there is one man that probably had much more of a shout for the Ballon d'Or that season - Robert Lewandowski.
The Polish hitman was far and away favourite with the bookies to claim the treasured prize, after scoring more goals than any other player in Europe and firing Bayern to the Champions League, however the award was eventually cancelled because of the pandemic.