José Mourinho makes bold challenge for Ballon d’Or: ‘I can’t give it to a guy just for winning the UCL or the World Cup’

Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho sits on the bench before the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) With the 2026 Ballon d’Or looming, Jose Mourinho has offered a slightly different take on football’s biggest individual award, arguing that winning the Champions League or World Cup should not automatically put a player at the front of the queue. The Real Madrid manager believes the award should recognize players who excel at the highest level and leave a lasting mark on the sport, rather than just rewarding whoever happens to collect the biggest trophies.Mourinho made the comments during his press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s LaLiga meeting with newly-promoted Malaga, where he also hinted that some of the strongest Ballon d’Or contenders are already playing under him at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Mourinho wants the award to recognize greatness, not just trophies

Mourinho’s argument is rooted in the idea that the Ballon d’Or should go to players whose careers and performances cannot be forgotten, rather than someone whose main case is winning a major competition.“The Ballon d’Or should go to one of those players who, when they retire, we will miss forever. Maradona, Cristiano, Messi, R9, Zidane… You can’t give the Ballon d’Or to a guy just for winning the UCL or the World Cup. If you have to give it to someone just for winning the UCL, then give it to Luis Enrique.”He then made it clear that in his opinion the award should not become a competition based on nationality, club or the biggest trophy won during the season.“No, it has to go to the best player in the world, not necessarily a Spaniard or a PSG player. It has to go to one of the 3-4 best players in the world and those guys are here. But politics comes into the Ballon d’Or, so I don’t like to get into politics.”Mourinho’s comments touch on the long-running debate surrounding the award, where players whose teams win the Champions League, World Cup or other major honors can often gain a significant advantage in the vote, even though another player may have produced a stronger individual season.

Who does Mourinho believe can win it?

Although Mourinho did not name a single player as the only deserving candidate in his wider comments, his reference to the “3-4 best players in the world” at Real Madrid points to a number of his own stars, including Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Júnior and Jude Bellingham.Mbappé in particular has a compelling case after a remarkable 2025-26 campaign. The French striker scored 43 goals in 47 games for Real Madrid in all competitions, while also winning the LaLiga Golden Boot and the Champions League Golden Boot.His year became even more special at international level during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mbappé scored 10 goals in eight games, becoming the first player to reach double figures at a 21st century World Cup tournament and moving to the top of the competition’s all-time scoring charts.This form has continued into the new campaign, with Mbappé recently scoring a hat-trick against Real Sociedad.For a player who has spent much of the last decade being discussed among the world’s elite but never won the Ballon d’Or, the timing could hardly be more interesting.Real Madrid return to LaLiga action on Sunday 30 August when they host Málaga CF at the Santiago Bernabéu. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:30 IST (17:00 local time), with Mourinho and his team looking to continue their campaign in the Spanish top flight.