Well, it seems the Ballon d’Or event can’t get itself out of hot water. As soon as Rodri was announced the Men’s Ballon d’Or winner over Vinicius Jr, a wave of discontent just swept through the soccer community and amid all the criticism aimed at Ballon d’Or, USWNT manager Emma Hayes also seized the moment to question the award’s credibility.

Despite winning the Ballon d’Or for the Women’s Coach of the Year, Emma Hayes is not a fan of this coveted accolade. During a recent press conference, she described it as a “subjective award,” stating, “These are subjective awards, so they’re not based on just wins and losses, and I never really know how they come about.”

The ex-Chelsea boss elaborated on her reasoning by addressing player placements in rankings. In her words, “Barcelona players being in the top three and US players being in the top ten—listen, they’re all great players, and they all deserve to be there. So always picking the best one, I find that really tricky.” She made the same point for coaching honors, emphasizing how her competitors equally merit acknowledgment for their accomplishments.

Emma Hayes made an impactful remark when she suggested that awards like the Ballon d’Or “create more division than unity.” This sentiment rings especially true amidst the current drama surrounding the whole Vinicius Jr and Rodri situation. Furthermore, the USWNT boss raised serious questions about voting integrity and criticized having journalists determine winners.

“I know that 50 journalists vote for it, but are those 50 journalists watching women’s football at the same level they’re watching the men’s game?” stated Emma Hayes. “Probably not, but they also might not be able to as well.” This concern has been voiced repeatedly before and remains a highly debated issue today. Meanwhile, the 48-year-old seems troubled by several aspects associated with how Ballon d’Or operates beyond just the deciding process.

Emma Hayes’ big issue with the Ballon d’Or ceremony

The primary issue Emma Hayes has faced with the Ballon d’Or is its scheduling. For those who are not aware, the event coincided with the women’s international window. This overlap meant that neither the USWNT players nor the manager could participate in the ceremony due to an upcoming match against Argentina. Hayes expressed her belief that this demonstrates a significant oversight by the Ballon d’Or, criticizing them for neglecting the women’s game.

In her remarks, she said, “It would be like running an Oscars, or Golden Globes without having any female present, it just wouldn’t happen.” Nonetheless, Emma Hayes did mention that she had discussions with the organizers about this matter and they will implement changes moving forward. This development is certainly something to anticipate for next year’s Ballon d’Or event.