José Mourinho has offered a strong opinion on the Ballon d’Or, arguing that the prestigious individual award should recognise the best player in the world rather than simply rewarding a player for winning major trophies.

The Portuguese manager believes the Ballon d’Or should be reserved for players whose individual brilliance leaves a lasting legacy in football.

Mourinho pointed to legendary names such as Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo Nazário and Zinedine Zidane as examples of players whose impact went far beyond individual seasons or team trophies.

Mourinho also rejected the idea that winning the Champions League or World Cup should automatically determine the winner.

Taking his argument further, Mourinho suggested that if winning the Champions League alone was enough to win the award, then Luis Enrique, the manager who guided Paris Saint-Germain to success, could also be considered.

For Mourinho, the award should instead recognise the player who stands above the rest on individual ability.

He added that the world's best players are already competing at the highest level and suggested the winner should come from that elite group.

Mourinho concluded by acknowledging that politics can influence the Ballon d’Or debate, something he says makes him reluctant to become deeply involved in the discussion.

Mourinho's comments are likely to fuel further debate over what should carry the greatest weight in the Ballon d’Or race — individual brilliance, trophies, consistency or overall impact on the game.