Mourinho: Mbappé deserves the Ballon d'Or

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho has firmly stated his belief that Kylian Mbappé is the deserving recipient of the Ballon d'Or, asserting that the award should recognize individual excellence that leaves a lasting impact on the sport.

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Players of Ballon d'Or level, we have three or four. The Ballon d'Or has to be one of those players that, when they stop playing, we miss for eternity.

Mourinho explained his perspective on the Ballon d'Or during a press conference, describing it as a recognition for players whose absence is deeply felt once they retire. He listed footballing legends such as Diego Maradona, Ronaldo Nazario, Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Leo Messi, and Zinedine Zidane as examples of players whose departure from the game left a significant void.

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You cannot give the Ballon d'Or to a player for winning the 'Champions' or the World Cup. If you want to reward these titles, reward the coaches. The Ballon d'Or for players is another thing.

He further elaborated that the award should not be solely based on collective titles like the Champions League or the World Cup, suggesting that such accolades are better suited for coaches. Mourinho pointed to Mbappé's historic achievement at the recent World Cup, where the French star became the all-time leading scorer in the tournament's history, as a key reason for his candidacy.

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We know who has made history this summer - in reference to Mbappé becoming the top scorer in the history of the World Cups.

While advocating for Mbappé, Mourinho also acknowledged the subjective and sometimes political nature of the Ballon d'Or selection process. "The Ballon d'Or has politics, and when politics gets involved, I don't like it as much," he commented, implying that factors beyond pure on-field performance can influence the outcome.

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Then, the Ballon d'Or has politics and when politics gets involved I don't like it so much.