Former France Football director Gérard Ejnes, one of the key figures behind the history of the Ballon d’Or, recently gave an eye-opening interview to Aliotop, where he shared his thoughts on the blurred lines that still surround the world’s most prestigious individual football award.

And one quote stood out clearly:

“The one who dazzles the most right now is Yamal 🇪🇸. And that’s the No. 1 criterion for the Ballon d’Or — it’s written.”

A strong statement that reignites the eternal debate between glory and greatness, between trophies and artistry, between the player who wins and the one who makes us dream.

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🎨 The age-old question: Trophies or magic?

Ejnes illustrates this dilemma with two very different profiles:

• On one side, Lamine Yamal, Spain’s generational talent who captivates with his raw genius, fearlessness, and flashes of brilliance — even if his club hasn’t reached the top this season.
• On the other, Ousmane Dembélé 🇫🇷, a player with a remarkable track record: national titles, European success, and perhaps soon even a world title, though he might not be the media’s favorite.

“So, what should we reward? The artistic side? The player who dazzles, scores, and excites even if his team falls in the Champions League semifinals — like Yamal?
Or do we go with the player who scores goals, makes assists, becomes champion of France, of Europe, maybe of the world — like Dembélé?”

Ejnes admits that this dilemma has never been solved, simply because it can’t be.

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🤝 A flawed and lonely voting system

One of the more revealing points made by Ejnes is about how the Ballon d’Or is actually voted on.

Unlike a film festival jury, like Cannes, where members debate and reach a decision together, the Ballon d’Or is decided through isolated votes.

“There are no discussions. One voter is in Peru 🇵🇪, another in Sweden 🇸🇪, another in South Africa 🇿🇦. Everyone is completely on their own.”

This system only amplifies subjectivity, making it nearly impossible to reach a shared definition of “the best player in the world.”

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😍 Admiration vs. Achievement

Every year, the Ballon d’Or sparks controversy, debate, and passionate arguments.

What Ejnes makes clear is that the award is not necessarily about being the statistically best, but about leaving the strongest impression on each individual voter. And right now, according to him, Lamine Yamal is doing just that, even without major silverware.

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🎯 Conclusion: The Ballon d’Or is a matter of perception

Ejnes’ key takeaway is simple:

The Ballon d’Or is not an exact science. It’s not just a checklist of stats or titles. It’s a subjective process, deeply influenced by emotion, spectacle, and personal experience.

“This problem has never been resolved… because it’s unsolvable.”

And as long as the voting system stays decentralized and disconnected, the debate between the showman (Yamal) and the serial winner (Dembélé) will continue — passionately, endlessly, and beautifully.

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