lsoReal Madrid coach José Mourinho has criticised what he described as political influences in the Ballon d’Or. He insists that the award should recognise the world’s best individual player rather than simply reward success in major competitions.
According to Vanguard, Mourinho made the remarks during his pre-match press conference. This was ahead of Real Madrid’s La Liga encounter with Málaga on Sunday.
Mourinho rejects trophy-based Ballon d’Or choices
The Portuguese coach argued that winning the UEFA Champions League or World Cup should not automatically make a player the best candidate for football’s most prestigious individual award.
“You can’t give the Ballon d’Or to a guy just for winning the UCL or the World Cup,” Mourinho said.
He suggested that if team success was the main criterion, recognition should instead go to the coaches responsible for those achievements.
“If you should give it to someone just for winning the UCL, then give it to Luis Enrique,” he added.
Mourinho believes the Ballon d’Or should be reserved for exceptional footballers. These are players whose individual brilliance leaves a lasting mark on the game.
He pointed to legends including Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo Nazário and Zinedine Zidane as examples of players whose impact goes beyond trophies won by their teams.
Ballon d’Or should reward world’s best, Mourinho says
Mourinho also rejected the idea that this year’s winner must come from Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. He rejected the notion it must come from Spain’s World Cup-winning squad.
Also he maintained that only a small group of players can genuinely be considered the best in the world. He also suggested some of them are currently at Real Madrid.
“No, it needs to go to the best player in the world, not necessarily a Spanish guy, or a PSG player,” he said.
The Real Madrid boss stopped short of directly naming his preferred winner. But he hinted strongly that a player from his squad deserved serious consideration.
He also appeared to reference an individual achievement recorded during the summer. This further strengthened speculation over which of his players he believes should win the award.
Mourinho questions politics in award
The former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Manchester United manager concluded by suggesting that factors outside performances on the pitch sometimes influence the Ballon d’Or.
“But politics come into the Ballon d’Or, so I don’t like getting into politics,” Mourinho said.
His comments are likely to add another layer to debate surrounding the 2026 Ballon d’Or. As discussions intensify, people are asking whether individual brilliance or major team trophies should carry greater weight in deciding the winner.
