Mourinho says Ballon d’Or winner needn’t have trophies, backs Madrid quartet
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho said the player who wins this year’s Ballon d’Or does not need to have won any trophies, speaking after Madrid’s 2‑1 Champions League victory over Inter Milan on Tuesday night. Mourinho, who is trying to end Los Blancos’ trophyless run—their first major‑silverware‑free stretch in two years—argued that the best player in the world can also be one without silverware.
His comments come as critics use the lack of trophies to rule out contenders such as Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Júnior from the Ballon d’Or race. Mourinho insisted, "For me, the best player in the world can also be one without trophies." Real Madrid’s quartet of Mbappé, Bellingham, Vinicius Júnior and Marc Cucurella all made the 30‑man Ballon d’Or shortlist unveiled on Tuesday.
For Nigerian football fans debating the award, this shifts the focus from team success to individual impact. Knowing that a player can be honoured even if his club went trophyless may change how you evaluate performances in domestic leagues, continental competitions or international matches.
If individual brilliance outweighs team trophies, which of Madrid's stars—Mbappé, Bellingham, Vinicius or Cucurella—deserves your vote for the Ballon d’Or?