Florentino Pérez (foto: Getty Images)
Namibian journalist Sheefeni Nicodemus responds to Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez’s criticism of smaller nations’ Ballon d’Or votes, dismissing his remarks as "words of frustration."
The aftermath of Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win continues to generate headlines, with Florentino Pérez recently expressing his dissatisfaction over the voting system. The Real Madrid president suggested that Vinicius Jr. would have won the award if votes from countries like Namibia, Uganda, Albania, and Finland had not been included.
Speaking at Real Madrid’s General Assembly, Pérez criticized the selection process: "The UEFA statement says their involvement had no impact on the voting system. Well, let me tell you: they altered the voting system (from 5 players to 10), and the points system (from 6 to 15). It’s surprising that football, a global sport, allows voting by journalists from countries with vast populations like India and others with fewer than a million people. And these people? No one even knows them!"
Pérez singled out Namibia, Uganda, Albania, and Finland, claiming that Vinicius received no votes from these countries. "Without these nations, Vinicius would have won the Ballon d’Or," he said. The Real Madrid president also noted that the Finnish voter had resigned from the jury, quipping, "At least he won’t be involved again, and I thank him for that."
Pérez’s remarks prompted a swift response from Sheefeni Nicodemus, the Namibian journalist who represents his country in the voting process. Speaking to El Larguero, Nicodemus dismissed Pérez’s comments as baseless: "Basically, I suspect these are the words of someone who is frustrated."
He added: "Mr. Pérez seems to feel that people from my country and others he mentioned don’t deserve meaningful votes because we are seen as inferior. I would like to know, if I were from one of the major football nations and disagreed with his opinion, what would his argument be?"
Nicodemus defended his right to vote and challenged the notion that smaller nations’ opinions are less valid in a global sport. His remarks have added another layer of tension to the ongoing debate surrounding the Ballon d’Or’s selection process.