Ballon d’Or: Mourinho Snubs Yamal, Dembele – Names Players He Believes Deserve Award

Former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager, José Mourinho, has weighed in on the Ballon d’Or debate, excluding Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal and PSG winger Ousmane Dembele from his list of top contenders. Speaking during an interview with a Portuguese sports outlet, Mourinho instead backed players who, according to him, made the greatest impact on the biggest stages in the 2024/2025 season.

Mourinho highlighted Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Manchester City’s Phil Foden as the standout candidates for the prestigious award, citing their consistency and influence in club and international competitions. He praised Bellingham’s leadership role at Madrid and his performance in the UEFA Champions League, which the club won for a record-extending 15th time. On Foden, Mourinho noted his pivotal role in City’s domestic treble and his brilliance at the European Championship.

The veteran manager also mentioned Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martínez as players deserving recognition, particularly for their individual contributions and goal-scoring exploits throughout the season. However, he made it clear that his top two picks remain Bellingham and Foden.

When asked about rising stars like Lamine Yamal or technical talents like Dembele, Mourinho said, “They are fantastic players with great potential, but this is about who delivered the most when it truly mattered. It’s not a popularity contest.”

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