Former Ghana international Asamoah Gyan has expressed that Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané deserved to win football’s most prestigious individual accolade, the Ballon d’Or, but were overlooked.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, Gyan reflected on the achievements of African players and the award’s history.
“Salah could have won a Ballon d’Or. Mané could have won a Ballon d’Or,” he said.
“I always ask questions why these things happen. Maybe they have their way of nominating the players. But these players I’ve mentioned, one of them for sure, could have won the Ballon d’Or,” he added.
His remarks add to an ongoing discussion about the recognition of African talent at the Ballon d’Or.
To date, Liberian legend George Weah remains the only African winner, claiming the award in 1995.
Salah, the Liverpool and Egypt forward, has been a consistent performer on the world stage, achieving a career-best fourth place in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting.
Despite standout seasons in both the Premier League and Champions League, the award has remained elusive.
Mané came close in 2022, finishing second in the Ballon d’Or race following a campaign that saw him lead Senegal to Africa Cup of Nations glory.
