The Ballon d’Or stands as football’s highest individual honor but its recent award decision has stirred significant controversy.
Spain’s Rodri winning it over Brazil’s Vinícius Jr. has left fans divided with some calling it “the biggest injustice.” This debate reflects the weight of the Ballon d’Or in shaping careers, reputations and financial incentives for players.
Why the Ballon d’Or Decision Caused Controversy This Year
The 2024 Ballon d’Or announced on October 29 sparked outrage when Rodri, a defensive midfielder took the honor over Real Madrid’s forward Vinícius Jr. Vinícius was instrumental in Real Madrid’s success in winning major titles like the Champions League and La Liga. However Rodri’s standout season with Manchester City including a treble win and a European Championship title with Spain ultimately won the majority vote. This decision led to Real Madrid boycotting the ceremony, claiming the criteria had unfairly overlooked their star player’s achievements.
The Ballon d’Or Voting Process Explained
The Ballon d’Or is decided by 100 journalists from FIFA’s top-ranked countries, with three key criteria:
1. Individual performance in the prior season.
2. Team success during the season.
3. Player behavior and fair play.
Although intended to ensure a fair outcome, the criteria remains subjective often influenced by journalists’ perspectives and varying interpretations of “fair play” and “behavior.”
Issues With the Ballon d’Or System
The Ballon d’Or carries no direct monetary prize but many players have performance-based bonuses tied to winning. Vinícius Jr., for instance stood to earn a million-dollar bonus with a win. Critics argue that the subjective judgment of journalists on off-field factors like a player’s response to challenges or social issues shouldn’t impact awards that influence financial outcomes.
A History of Controversy
The Ballon d’Or has faced criticism for decades from renowned players like Thierry Henry never winning to the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for years. With subjective criteria and high stakes the Ballon d’Or continues to be one of football’s most debated accolades.
