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

Real Madrid's coach, José Mourinho, has raised questions about the criteria for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. The coach argued that the prize should not be awarded to a player solely based on their success in winning major titles such as the Champions League or World Cup. Mourinho stressed that the award should go to a player whose impact on the game would be remembered long after their retirement.

He suggested that the Ballon d’Or should be given to a select group of elite players, with around a dozen top-level players vying for the honor, including figures like Maradona, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Zinedine Zidane, and Lothar Matthäus. Mourinho emphasized that winning major team trophies should not automatically be the deciding factor in determining the world's best player.

He also mentioned that the award for the best manager should be given to Luis Enrique or De la Fuente, the manager of the Spanish national team. Mourinho maintained that recognizing the best individual player was a distinct consideration and not necessarily linked to playing for renowned clubs like Paris Saint-Germain or the Spanish national team.

He also suggested that political factors could potentially influence the outcome of the award, which he personally disliked. However, he reiterated his stance that the Ballon d’Or is primarily meant for the best individual player, not the club or country.