Mo Salah has suggested that the decision-making for the Ballon d’Or award is political.
The former Roma hitman didn’t deny that he was partly motivated by the possibility of winning such recognition for his efforts on the pitch.
“If you asked me if this was a drive for me to be here? Yeah, of course,” the Egyptian was quoted as saying by GQ.
“I can’t really lie and say honestly I didn’t think about it. No, I think about it. I want to be the best player in the world.
“But I will have a good life even if I don’t win [the Ballon d’Or]. My life is OK, everything is fine.
“Sometimes I feel it’s just politics.”
Remarkably, the 29-year-old was snubbed with a seventh-place finish (a spot lower than sixth-placed Cristiano Ronaldo) despite enjoying what many commentators perceived to be a strong year of football.
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Evidently, our No.11 had been let down by the lack of team achievements – principally the lack of a major trophy, with the likes of Jorginho and Leo Messi being rewarded for their involvement in international sides that were successful in the European Champions and Copa America respectively.
Though Salah’s numbers last term weren’t exactly world-beating, many voters apparently failed to consider the pivotal nature of his contributions in dragging Liverpool back into the top four spots.
We can only hope that the award will properly take into account his standing in the game this year – particularly should we manage to secure some silverware this season.
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