Mourinho questions Ballon d’Or criteria, says trophies shouldn’t decide winner

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho has voiced his strong opinions on the criteria for the Ballon d'Or, asserting that the prestigious individual award should not be determined solely by the number of team trophies a player accumulates.

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It’s a very beautiful individual achievement that enters the individual history of a particular player. And I think it’s normal for there to be candidates, there aren’t many, about a dozen top-level players, among whom we have three or four. It’s natural for it to be an ambition.

Mourinho, speaking ahead of a LaLiga match, stated that the Ballon d'Or should honor players whose influence on football is so profound that they are missed eternally after retirement. He listed legendary figures like Maradona, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano, Messi, Zizou, and Lothar Matthäus as examples of players whose absence would be deeply felt.

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For me, the Ballon d’Or should go to one of those players who, when they stop playing, we miss them for eternity. I miss Maradona, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano, Messi, Zizou, Lothar Matthäus… I miss these players.

"You can't give the Ballon d'Or to a player just because he won the Champions or the World Cup," Mourinho declared. He proposed that if the intention is to reward Champions League success, then the award should perhaps go to a manager like Luis Enrique or the Spanish national team coach, De la Fuente, to honor the team's achievement.

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You can’t give the Ballon d’Or to a player just because he won the Champions or the World Cup.

However, Mourinho maintained that identifying the world's best individual player is a distinct matter. He suggested that the top contenders are a known group of two to four players whose individual brilliance has made history. The Portuguese coach also alluded to the potential for "political aspects" to influence the award's outcome, expressing his dislike when such factors overshadow the sport itself.

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If you want to reward the Champions League, then give the Ballon d’Or to Luis Enrique. The Ballon d’Or for managers, to represent the team. Or to the Spanish national team, surely coach De la Fuente deserves the Ballon d’Or for managers. That is the great tribute to a team that enters history.