Brutal! Mourinho names the main Ballon d'Or favorite. VIDEO
José Mourinho has made it crystal clear who he believes should be at the front of the Ballon d'Or race.
Details: Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Real Madrid's LaLiga meeting with Malaga, the Portuguese coach was asked about football's most prestigious individual award. Mourinho immediately challenged the idea that major team trophies alone should determine the winner.
“You can't give the Ballon d'Or to a player for winning the Champions League or the World Cup. We know who the best are and we know where they are: right here,” Mourinho stated.
The Real Madrid boss did not mention Kylian Mbappé by name in this part of his answer, but the message was clear. Mourinho added that everyone knows who the two, three or four truly elite candidates are and pointed out that the player he was referring to had made individual history during the summer.
Mourinho also criticized the political element surrounding the Ballon d'Or vote. In his view, the best player in the world does not necessarily have to come from the team that won the Champions League or from the national side that lifted the biggest international trophy.
It is worth noting that Mbappé scored his first hat-trick of the 2026/27 season on August 26, netting three times as Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu. The Frenchman has three goals after his first two LaLiga appearances of the campaign.
Reminder: Goals are not enough! Mourinho sets a ruthless condition for his superstar
Steven Perez
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