Ballon d’Or jury members dismiss player campaigns as ‘clear manipulation’

Members of the Ballon d’Or jury have criticised the intense media campaigns surrounding this year’s award, with one describing the publicity drive as “clear manipulation”.

The contest has generated unprecedented media attention, with nominated players giving interviews and clubs launching campaigns to promote their candidates. Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane and Ousmane Dembele have been among the most discussed players in recent days.

Some have argued that they deserve to win the Ballon d’Or, while others have been backed by prominent players.

The award is decided using three main criteria: individual performances and decisive influence, collective performances and achievements, and integrity and fair play. Some nominees may not necessarily satisfy the third requirement.

The key task for the candidates is to convince the 100 members of the voting panel that they are the rightful winner. The panel consists of one journalist from each of the 100 highest-ranked countries in the Fifa rankings.

French newspaper Le Parisien contacted several members of the jury, although none wanted to appear publicly. Yazid Wahib, the panel’s representative from Algeria, agreed to discuss the unusual 2026 Ballon d’Or race.

“I have been a member of the jury since 2007, and I have to say that over the past two years we have witnessed election campaigns unlike anything we have seen before,” Wahib said.

“All these interviews and all these comments are nothing more than a distraction, and they do not affect my vote.”

He added: “Things are becoming more heated, but that changes nothing. We follow these events from a distance.

“I cannot speak on behalf of my colleagues, but I believe none of this should influence their votes. In the end, it is a matter of conscience.”

Jury members reject influence of campaigns

Swedish jury member Anders Bengtsson also said he had not been influenced by repeated statements from the leading candidates.

“These campaigns do not affect me at all,” he said. “It is not impossible that they influence some voters. If I were undecided between two players, some statistics or arguments might perhaps swing me towards one of them.

“But that would only happen if I had not thought carefully before casting my vote.”

Pascal Ferre, the former editor-in-chief of France Football who voted for France for seven years, also questioned the communication strategy used in recent days.

“Members of the jury are not naive,” Ferre said. “They have enough experience and conscience to judge and assess a player without needing to hear the phrase: ‘He is the best’ 10 or 15 times.”

He added: “When I say that the Ballon d’Or winner could be lost amid the media noise, I mean it when one player dominates the discussion so blatantly that jury members feel they are being put under pressure.

“This noise, organised by some people, could ultimately irritate voters, because it is clear manipulation.”