Bias or Corruption? The Ballon d'Or Winner Knew About His Victory a Month Before the Ceremony

The prestigious individual football award has already found its winner. The ceremony will still take place at the end of October.

The Ballon d'Or is the top individual award for a footballer, but in recent years, it has increasingly become biased. Its distribution raises numerous questions, particularly concerning corruption. This year, the winner of the Ballon d'Or is already known, even though the ceremony is still a month away.

In 2024, it seemed that the controversies were behind us — Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were left off the list of nominees for the first time in many years. Yet, this hasn't stopped the speculation surrounding the Ballon d'Or, which continues to lose value yearly. And no, it’s not about blaming Ronaldo or Messi, who were genuinely the best for many years. However, some of Messi's recent awards were met with doubt.

The controversy began back in 2020 when the award ceremony was canceled. At that time, the whole world believed Robert Lewandowski deserved the prize. Still, France Football, the magazine that co-founded the award, refused to present it due to the pandemic. Despite Lewandowski's outstanding performance the following year, he didn't win again, even though his exceptional play made him a clear favorite — especially considering two seasons instead of one.

However, the most shocking case occurred in 2023, when Messi won the Ballon d'Or again. The football community widely criticized the organizers at the time. Messi had moved to play in the MLS, a league that isn’t highly regarded globally. Yet, he was still awarded the prize, raising serious questions.

Much discussion revolved around who truly deserved the Ballon d'Or this summer. Typically, it goes to the winners of continental or world championships and the Champions League, so the speculation mainly focused on players from Real Madrid. Dani Carvajal, who won EURO 2024 and the Champions League, and Jude Bellingham, who also performed well for his national team and reached the final, were among the top contenders. Vinícius Júnior was also mentioned, but his poor performance with Brazil in the Copa América seemed to hurt his chances. Nonetheless, this did not affect the jury's final decision.

According to the Spanish outlet Marca, Vinícius Júnior has already been informed that he will be the next Ballon d'Or winner, even though the ceremony is scheduled for October 28, more than a month away. It has also been reported that limited edition golden boots have been made for him, which he will wear after officially receiving the award.

As a result, the suspense that usually surrounds the Ballon d'Or ceremony has been completely eliminated. What was once speculation about bias is now blatant. The voting is done, the winner is known, and there’s no intrigue left for the ceremony. Once again, the Ballon d'Or lost its value, which it had held since its inception until the late 2010s. While it remains the top individual prize in football, the premature announcement of Vinícius Júnior's victory clearly points to bias or corruption.

Published by Patrick Jane
26.09.2024