The 2023 Ballon d’Or crowned Manchester City’s Rodri and Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí as the year’s standout footballers. Yet, the rankings sparked discussion, particularly regarding Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr.’s placement behind Rodri, a result that has raised questions about the award’s voting process and its potential biases. Journalist Mansour Loum recently highlighted the dynamics affecting top players’ rankings, shedding light on several issues that continue to shape the prestigious award.
Loum argues that the current Ballon d’Or voting system often works against players from the same team competing for the title, leading to vote-splitting. This situation, he points out, was evident when Liverpool stars Virgil Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mané were all in the running in 2019 but ultimately lost out to Lionel Messi. “When teammates compete for the same award, their votes tend to get diluted. If only one candidate were in the spotlight, they would likely have a stronger chance of winning”, Loum explained, emphasizing that this recurring issue continues to affect deserving candidates.
Loum also noted that Vinicius Jr., who has been vocal about the racial abuse he faces in La Liga, might be experiencing backlash from voters due to his activism. This element, Loum suggests, could influence perceptions and outcomes, questioning whether a player’s stand against social issues should impact their recognition on the field. “If fighting racism negatively affects a player’s recognition, it raises serious questions about our society’s values”, he stated.
The Ballon d’Or’s voting changes have also come under scrutiny. By limiting the voting pool to representatives from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries, the Ballon d’Or now excludes many voices from developing football nations. Loum believes that this shift undermines the sport’s diversity, reducing the input from regions where football passion thrives and diluting the global perspective on player excellence.