(ESP-ENG) El balón de oro, ¿sigue siendo importante? - [Opinión]

Hello friends, good vibes to all.

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The Ballon d'Or gala for the 2024/25 season will be held on September 22nd. I ask this question because I feel that year after year the conversation has somewhat lowered the tone and intensity with which this award was usually addressed. I don't know if the word "important" or "relevant" is important because, well, we keep talking about it, and as the day progresses, there will be more conversation, but today there isn't, or I don't see, the impact this generated in previous years. I think the fact that neither Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo are taken into account anymore, naturally, may have caused the issue to become less media-focused, which I think is the correct word.

So, who are the big favorites this year? In my opinion, four players: Désiré Doué, Raphinha, Dembélé, and Lamine Yamal. The first three because of their numbers and titles, the last because of a media focus rather than anything else. This is going to generate tension, but it's something we discussed in a post I made specifically for him. If the Ballon d'Or is an award given for individual achievements, without neglecting collective ones, it's very clear that the French and the Brazilian have more to consider than Lamine. This young Spaniard is in the conversation because of his age, his quality, which is vast, and his potential, which may be infinite, but none of these wins a Ballon d'Or, right?

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On the other hand, we have Ousmane Dembélé, 35 goals and 16 assists, winner of both Ligue 1 and the Champions League. There's a belief that to win the Ballon d'Or, you have to win the UCL, with some exceptions, of course (World Cup year). What Dembélé generated this season was insane; he was decisive and a key player in PSG's play and the success they've won. Personally, I had Désiré Doué among the favorites, who with 16 goals (two of them in the Champions League final) and 16 assists could easily be a contender for the award. I think if his teammate hadn't had such a season, this young man would be at the top. I find it hard to understand why he's not considered, even though he's one of the best young players in the world.

And last but not least, Raphinha. 34 goals and 25 assists, a staggering number. The Brazilian's rise is thanks to Flick, who knew how to tap into his full potential and fill him with the confidence he'd lost. Why, if Raphinha has better numbers than Lamine Yamal, is he the favorite Spaniard? And we can't talk about national teams because neither of them featured much in them last season. But be careful, this isn't a crusade against the young player, but it would be good to understand the reasoning behind the push he's being given when he has good merit but not enough. Lamine has 18 goals and 25 assists. Obviously, there are other parameters and statistics, but these are generally the most relevant to take into account.

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My point with this post is, with such great players on the scene, why do I feel like the Ballon d'Or "matters" less and less? Maybe it's just me, very likely, but it's been a feeling I've had for a while. Anyway, if I had to choose one of these stars, I think I'd go with Dembélé. He's not my favorite player, but what he achieved this season under Luis Enrique is certainly impressive, to say the least. Last year, Rodri won it amid the typical controversy that put him in competition with Vinicius, but the Spaniard's numbers were far superior to those of the Real Madrid Brazilian. Will the same thing happen this year? Will the winner be marked by public discontent? We'll see. Tell me what you think, if this is still relevant or not, which player will ultimately take home the award...

Well, that's all for today, everyone. I hope you enjoyed it.
¡Hugs to everyone, see you next time!