Mourinho takes aim at Ballon d’Or ‘politics’, backs Real Madrid stars
José Mourinho
Abdullateef Fowewe
Real Madrid manager, José Mourinho has criticised what he described as the political influence surrounding the Ballon d’Or, arguing that football’s biggest individual award should be reserved for players whose impact will be remembered “for eternity” rather than simply those attached to Champions League or World Cup triumphs.
Speaking as Real Madrid manager, Mourinho said the honour should recognise the outstanding player in world football, invoking legends including Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo Nazário and Zinedine Zidane as the standard.
“The Ballon d’Or should go to one of those players who, when they retire, we miss them for eternity.
“Maradona, Cristiano, Messi, R9, Zidane. You can’t give the Ballon d’Or to a guy just for winning the UCL or the World Cup,” Mourinho said.
The Portuguese coach argued that team trophies should not automatically determine the winner of an individual prize, joking that if Champions League success was the main criterion, coaches should also be considered.
“If you should give it to someone just for winning the UCL, then give it to Luis Enrique,” he added.
Mourinho also appeared to dismiss suggestions that the award must go to a Spanish international or a Paris Saint-Germain player, insisting that the world’s elite individual performers were already at Real Madrid.
“It needs to go to the best player in the world, not necessarily a Spanish guy, or a PSG player.
“It needs to go to one of the three or four best players in the world, and those guys are here,” he said.
His comments were widely interpreted as a strong endorsement of Madrid’s leading stars, with Kylian Mbappé’s individual form and summer performances likely to be central to the debate over the next Ballon d’Or race.
However, Mourinho stopped short of naming a preferred winner, saying the politics around the award made him reluctant to become deeply involved.
“But politics come into the Ballon d’Or, so I don’t like getting into politics,” he said.
