Arsene Wenger Makes Ruthless Claim About Ballon d'Or Award

The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual award in world soccer. An accolade every player competing at the sport's elite aspires to one day possess, granting them the recognition as the best soccer player in the world.

For some, though, the Ballon d'Or and what it represents can have a negative impact on players and teams. Well-respected figures of the sport have made public statements against France Football's prestigious award.

One of those figures is longtime Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger. The only manager in history to lead a team to an unbeaten Premier League season once again shot down the importance of winning the Ballon d'Or, stating that he's not a fan of it and that it takes attention away from what really matters.

"I personally was never a big fan of the Ballon d'Or because I feel it has destroyed some careers," Wenger said during beIN Sport's Champions League coverage. "Individual expectations should not be the supreme target. We are in a society where you only are about clarification (ranking) of everybody in a sport where the team performance should be more important."

It's not the first time the three-time Premier League champion manager makes his opinions known regarding the Ballon d'Or. Back in 2016 when he was still managing the Gunners, he remarked how he was against the award because, "It gets in the head of players."

"We have seen many people only thinking about themselves because they are obsessed by the Ballon d'Or and not by the team performance, and I believe football is a collective sport and we live already in a world where everything is individualized," Wenger said.

Then Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, perhaps Wegner's most fierce rival, echoed the sentiments of the French coach, saying that that soccer is slowly starting to focus more on individual awards rather than team success.

Last year, Real Madrid boycotted the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, protesting the decision to give Manchester City's Rodri the award instead of Vinícius Júnior, who was the odds-on favorite going into the ceremony.

It's true that the Ballon d'Or has become an obsession for players who want their quality, numbers and success to be recognized. However, this doesn't necessarily come at the expense of team success, considering winning major trophies has become perhaps the most important factor in deciding who wins the Ballon d'Or every year.