2026 Ballon d’Or: Winner does not have to be a player who won trophies — Mourinho
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho expressed his belief that winning the Ballon d’Or does not necessarily require a player to have secured any silverware.
Mourinho’s comments came during a post-match press conference following Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Portuguese coach is eager to break the team’s two-year trophy drought, as Real Madrid has not claimed any major titles during that period.
Critics have suggested that players such as Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior may be excluded from consideration for the prestigious award due to the lack of silverware.
However, Mourinho countered this notion, stating, “For me, the best player in the world can also be one without trophies.”
Mbappé, Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Real Madrid’s Marc Cucurella were among the 30 players nominated for the Ballon d’Or, a shortlist announced earlier on Tuesday.
