José Mourinho turned a conventional question about the Ballon d’Or into a full critique against the criteria governing the award, refusing to reduce the identity of the world’s best player to collective silverware or a successful media campaign.
The Real Madrid manager’s statements came during Saturday’s press conference at Valdebebas ahead of their La Liga fixture against Málaga at the Santiago Bernabéu. He clearly hinted at Kylian Mbappé’s right to compete, emphasizing that the Royal Club houses three or four world-class elite players.
Mourinho’s Quotes on the Ballon d’Or
Mourinho said: “The Ballon d’Or is a wonderful award on an individual level because it enters the personal history of a player, and it’s natural for it to be an ambition among a limited group of top-level players.”
He added: “For me, the Ballon d’Or should go to one of those players who, when they retire, we miss them for eternity—Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Ronaldo Nazário, and Zidane.”
He continued: “You can’t give the Ballon d’Or to a player just because he won the Champions League or the World Cup. If you want to reward winning the Champions League, give the award to Luis Enrique, and if it’s about Spain, Luis de la Fuente deserves it.”
The Portuguese manager elaborated: “Talking about the best player in the world is something else. He doesn’t have to be Spanish or a Paris Saint-Germain player; he must be one of the top three or four players in the world, and those are here.”
He concluded: “We know who made history individually this summer. Politics enters into the Ballon d’Or, and when politics gets involved, I don’t like to get involved. We’re not going to invent a new concept for the award in Spain or inside PSG; the best player in the world is someone else.”
Top Contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or
The 70th edition of the Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place in London on October 26, 2026, with the final nominee shortlist yet to be officially announced. Rodri currently leads the conversation after guiding Spain to World Cup glory and claiming the Player of the Tournament award, alongside Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappé—who recorded 43 goals for Real Madrid and 10 goals in the World Cup.
Fabián Ruiz also stands out after uniting the Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain and the World Cup with Spain, alongside Ousmane Dembélé, who seeks to retain the prize following back-to-back European crowns. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi remains part of the discussion after leading Argentina to the World Cup final.
Ousmane Dembélé was the last Ballon d’Or recipient in 2025 after leading Paris Saint-Germain to their inaugural Champions League trophy alongside the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France titles. The French forward tallied 35 goals and 16 assists across 53 appearances—including 8 goals and 6 assists in the Champions League—combining collective silverware with the individual impact that Mourinho insists should not be reduced to trophies alone.
