Ballon d’Or: Mourinho names five players that deserve award

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has suggested the prestigious Ballon d’Or award should be given to footballers who will be greatly missed when they hang up their boots, after speaking to the media prior to their La Liga match against Malaga. The former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss named a list of five illustrious players who he believes should receive the award upon retirement: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Diego Maradona and Ronaldo de Lima.

Mourinho emphasized that players should not merely be awarded the accolade for winning major trophies such as the Champions League or World Cup. He stressed that the Ballon d’Or should go to the world's best player, rather than being awarded based on a specific achievement. He stated, "The Ballon d’Or should go to one of those players when they retire, we miss them for eternity."

Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Ronaldo de Lima, and Zidane were all mentioned by Mourinho as deserving candidates for the prestigious award. He questioned the notion of awarding the Ballon d’Or to a player solely for winning the Champions League, stating, "If you should give it to someone just for winning the Champions League, then give it to Luis Enrique." However, he acknowledged that politics sometimes influence the decision-making process behind the award.

Mourinho clarified that the award should go to one of the three to four best players in the world, which, in his opinion, are the aforementioned four players listed above. Despite the influence of politics, he expressed his dislike for getting involved in such matters.