La Liga president Javier Tebas is famous for all the notorious reasons, and this time he has hit the ball entirely out of the park to agitate fans.
It is not new that Tebas invites the fury of both Real Madrid and Barcelona fans many times, but this time he has said something entirely absurd that, even if I try to think, doesn't make any sense.
When asked about the favorites for the Ballon d'Or of this season, the La Liga president gave two names: Lamine Yamal and Vinicius Jr. He said: "It's difficult. It should be between Lamine and Vinicius. It's the sum of a season."
Please tell me if that makes sense. I mean, I understand bringing Lamine Yamal for all of the recent shouts he's received, which I also believe are completely unjustified, but Vinicius? It's really funny.
Tebas' Ballon d’Or picks sound more political than footballing
Of all the weird names one could think of for the Ballon d'Or race, these are the worst. I must say the obvious, because it has come down to this: neither Yamal nor Vinicius deserves to win the Ballon d'Or this year. And any person with decent football knowledge would agree.
I understand the nomination of Lamine Yamal; he has gotten a lot of social media traction lately, and him winning the Nations League could indeed increase the chances of him getting it. But if we are to be honest, how does that even remotely compare to Ousmane Dembele winning the treble with Paris Saint-Germain and being the most dominant player in all those competitions?
Even assuming arguendo, if a name from Barcelona is to be picked at all, Raphinha clearly has a better footing than Yamal. He was more involved in their La Liga title win and the Champions League run as well, pulling some of the best numbers ever.
And as for Vinicius, I do not understand how that name came up other than the reason of naming a La Liga player just for the sake of it. Tebas' choice of Vinicius clearly suggests that his picks are not based on football but the forced need to somehow highlight La Liga players up there.
And, as much as I'd like to see two La Liga players compete for the Ballon d'Or someday, this is not the year. Vinicius deserved it last year, but he certainly doesn't deserve it now. His performance this season was mediocre by his own standards, and he didn't win any trophies to begin with. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't make the top 10. It was not his season, and this is a fact.