The Absurdity of the Ballon d'Or

All eyes now turn to Lamine Yamal.

In today's football world , where social media and media dominate almost everything, the Ballon d'Or - once a symbol of individual excellence - is gradually becoming a visual game. A race that no longer fully reflects the real effort, dedication or influence of the players, but only chases after glamour and controversy.

The recent match between Spain and France is a typical example. A top-notch match between the European champions and the world runners-up, but instead of analyzing the playing style, tactics or collective performance, most of the media focused on the question: "Who between Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal deserves to win the Ballon d'Or more?" As if the match was just a stage for two individuals to compete for the title. As if Pedri, Vitinha or Spain's great team performances did not exist.

That approach not only cheapens the game, but also reflects the changing way football is viewed today – simplified, superficial and driven by form. Individual accolades are now seen as the ultimate goal, rather than just recognition in a much bigger picture: football is a team sport .

The media is clearly at fault for hyping up individual competitions. They use the excuse of “meeting audience tastes” to create shallow debates, but in reality, the aim is to attract interaction and views. The Golden Ball thus becomes a long-running “drama”, built like a beauty contest, where whoever gets more attention has a better chance of winning.

Lamine Yamal is a strong candidate for the Ballon d'Or.

The absurdity is even more evident when looking at society at large. A recent study by Professor Miguel Ángel Martínez-González - Spain's leading public health expert - warned that the average human IQ is declining significantly due to the impact of overuse of electronic devices. He said that more than 5% of intelligence has disappeared in the past 10 years. And if you look at the way the community, especially the young, argue about the Ballon d'Or every day as if it were the most important thing in the world, perhaps he is right.

Football, after all, is a team sport. The perfect combination, the quiet sacrifice, the tactical ingenuity – these are the things that make the game truly beautiful. But these days, a single spectacular strike, a single viral highlight, is enough to make someone a leading candidate for the Ballon d'Or.

We do not deny the symbolic value of this title. But when it is overblown, overwhelming the core values of the match, it is no longer a worthy honor, but a dangerous deviation.

What is more worrying is that this deviation is being considered normal. It is as if football is no longer a collective playground but only a place for a few stars to compete, promoted by the media.

It’s time to take a step back. Football is not just about individual trophies. What makes the game truly compelling is the team, the emotions, the tactics, the moments that cannot be measured by trophies. And the value of a player is not in the shiny trophy, but in how they contribute to the overall success of the team - quietly but persistently.

Source: https://znews.vn/su-vo-ly-cua-qua-bong-vang-post1558679.html