Florentino Perez speaks out on Ballon d’Or controversy: ‘The system needs reform’

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez addressed the controversy surrounding the Ballon d’Or during the club’s annual assembly, sharing his thoughts on the award’s voting process and results. His remarks, which drew applause and laughter from the club’s delegates, delved into the perceived flaws in how the prestigious honor is decided.

Perez began by discussing Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or. While praising Rodri’s talent, Perez questioned the timing of the award, suggesting it would have been more appropriate to recognize his achievements during last year’s treble-winning season with City. Citing a report from Tuttosport, he pointed out their opinion that Real Madrid deserved the award this year.

“Rodri is an excellent footballer. We admire him, but I’ll tell you this: Tuttosport said the Ballon d’Or should have gone to Real Madrid. They compensated Rodri this year for his performance last season. He deserved it then, not now,” Perez said.

Questioning the Voting System

Perez also highlighted discrepancies in the process, noting that L’Equipe readers had ranked Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. as the favorite, yet the final outcome differed. He criticized UEFA’s claims that the voting system hadn’t changed, suggesting otherwise.

“They say the system hasn’t changed, but it has. L’Equipe readers had Vinicius as the favorite. It’s surprising,” Perez stated.

He raised concerns about expanding the voting pool to include journalists from smaller nations, questioning whether this undermined the credibility of the award.

“There are now journalists from countries with less than a million inhabitants who have a vote. Does this reflect fairness?” he asked.

Transparency and Credibility

Perez further criticized instances where journalists abstained from voting, referencing an example from Finland. He suggested the inclusion of lesser-known journalists from countries like Uganda, Namibia, Albania, and Finland might have influenced the outcome, potentially costing Vinicius the award.

“There are journalists nobody knows, and their votes influenced the results. Without votes from countries like Uganda, Namibia, Albania, and Finland, Vinicius would have won,” he claimed.

Call for Reform

Urging for changes, Perez proposed limiting voting to recognized professionals who understand the importance of their decisions.

“The system needs reform. Only respected figures who risk their credibility with their votes should participate,” he argued.

He emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability to preserve the award’s prestige. Concluding his remarks, Perez explained Real Madrid’s decision to skip the Ballon d’Or Gala, underscoring the club’s dissatisfaction with the process.

“We chose not to attend the Gala to make it clear: journalists risk their reputation with these votes, and the current system lacks transparency,” he concluded.