The head coach of Real Madrid, José Mourinho, publicly commented on the criteria for determining the Ballon d'Or winner, stating that the individual award should not be tied exclusively to team trophies. The Portuguese coach is convinced that the prize should reflect a player's unique individual level, rather than simply the presence of titles in a club or national team's cabinet. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the Spanish outlet AS.
Individual Level Above Team Trophies
According to Mourinho, the Ballon d'Or is a special recognition that requires an exceptional individual contribution, not an automatic consequence of winning with teams. "We have three or four players of that level. For me, the Ballon d'Or should go to the player we will miss forever after his career ends," emphasized the coach of the "Blancos," effectively proposing an emotional rather than statistical criterion for evaluation.
"Give the Award to the Coaches"
The Portuguese went further, stating that if one evaluates purely team triumphs, it would be more logical to award the prize to the coaches who led their squads to victory. "If you want to reward the Champions League win, give the Ballon d'Or to Luis Enrique. As for Spain — undoubtedly De la Fuente deserves it. That is a great tribute. But the best player in the world is something else. He does not necessarily have to be from PSG or the national team," explained Mourinho, separating the concepts of "team success" and "individual greatness."
Criticism of 'Politics' in the Voting
At the end of his remarks, the Real Madrid head coach expressed disappointment over what he described as bias in the voting. "We know who made history at an individual level this summer. The Ballon d'Or has politics, and if politics is involved, I do not like it as much. You already know my understanding of this award. The best player is something entirely different," added the Portuguese. He did not name anyone directly, however, according to media assessments, he subtly hinted that his favorite is not linked to either PSG or the Spanish national team.
Context: The Current Season and His Role at Real Madrid
Mourinho's remarks came against the backdrop of the active phase of the season: earlier, Real Madrid crushed Real Sociedad in a La Liga match, cementing his status as one of the key coaches in the Spanish championship. His comments on the Ballon d'Or once again reignite the debate over how objective the voting system for football's top individual award is and whether sporting results are being replaced by opportunistic decisions.
