Salah leading candidate to win Ballon d’Or amid AFCON debate

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr was supposed to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

Last year, the Brazilian lost out under controversial circumstances to Manchester City midfielder, Rodri.

However, Vinicius is not even the best player at the LaLiga champions right now. That would be Kylian Mbappe, who has exploded into life after a slow start to life in Spain.

But in the whole of Europe, nobody comes close to Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian already has 25 goals and 17 assists in 28 fixtures across all competitions.

His stunning form has Liverpool 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League, on the verge of clinching a record-equalling 20th title. The Reds also finished top of the Champions League group phase and are favourites to win the trophy.

This has inevitably seen Salah’s name top the Ballon d’Or conversations.

Only one African footballer has won the prize was George Weah in 1995.

Why has no other player from the continent won it in 30 years?

“Sincerely speaking, the only African players that you could say were worthy since President George Weah were Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba,” Writer, JJ Omojuwa, tells DAILY POST.

“But hey, this was largely the era of Messi and Cristiano and before then there was Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Zidane and co.

“The thing about these awards, eras matter too.

“Rodri won it last year. He couldn’t have stepped close to it at the height of the eras I just mentioned.”

Last year, France Football, the organizers of the Ballon d’Or, listed the criteria they use in deciding the winners of the award.

The first criteria is “Individual performances, decisive and impressive character”.

Secondly, they will consider “team performances and achievements”.

The last criteria is “class and fair play”.

What could possibly stop Salah from winning it this year?

“I don’t know when the awards will be held but if its before AFCON, then only Liverpool not making the UCL semis or a really poor start to season 2025/26 can stop him.

“Moments matter so he has to carry these moments till closer to the award too because the voters are biased by recency at times,” Omojuwa said.

This week, Jamie Carragher sparked off a debate about Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances, claiming that the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, is not a major tournament.

Two former Super Eagles captains, John Mikel Obi and Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, have hit back at the Liverpool legend.

Mikel Obi claimed “it’s so disrespectful what he said, and this is coming from someone who never won any major international competition with England.

“His statement was absolutely wrong. I hope he will come out and make a massive apology because he owes people around the world an apology.

“[It was] ignorant to disrespect such a wonderful tournament. If you think that the Premier League would be what it is today with just the English players you’re f*cking having a laugh mate.”

Interestingly, Weah hails from Liberia, a country that has never been a football powerhouse in Africa.

Weah won the Ballon d’Or solely because of his exploits on European soil.

But is the AFCON a major tournament?

“It’s not a question,” Omojuwa replies.

“Every continental tournament is a major tournament. Anyone who doesn’t understand that has no business earning money from football punditry.”

Salah leading candidate to win Ballon d’Or amid AFCON debate