Former Ballon d’Or Chief Pascal Ferré Makes Explosive Revelation About Jury Influence
- Former Ballon d'Or chief Pascal Ferré disclosed that an agent once approached him to promote a nominated player's candidacy
- Ferré, who oversaw the award at France Football until 2023, made the revelation in an interview
- The former editor said he rejected the request outright but returned from a phone call to find the agent gone and an envelope left at the table
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Pascal Ferré, who served as the head of the Ballon d'Or at France Football from 1996 to 2023, has disclosed that an agent once attempted to interfere with the award's voting process by asking him to advocate for a nominated client directly with the jury.
Ferré shared the account in an interview with Marca, connected to the release of his book, The Hidden Face of the Ballon d'Or, in which he details behind-the-scenes stories from his years overseeing football's most coveted individual prize.
Source: Getty Images
Ferré makes revelation about Ballon d'Or influence
According to Ferré, the agent in question had a client who was already among the nominees.
After making the case for why the player deserved to win, the representative pushed further, asking Ferré whether he could "sell" the candidacy to members of the voting panel.
Ferré said his response was immediate and unequivocal.
"I obviously told him no," he said, as cited by Goal.
He went on to describe what happened shortly after: he stepped away from the table briefly to take a phone call, and when he returned, the agent had left. An envelope had been placed on the table in his absence.
"I took it and handed it in at reception. I have no idea what was inside," Ferré said.
He did not name the agent or the player involved, and his account stops short of confirming that money was offered or that any member of the jury was ever contacted.
Scrutiny around Ballon d'Or integrity
The disclosure arrives at a time when the Ballon d'Or continues to attract debate over the fairness of its selection process.
Critics have long questioned whether the journalists who vote on the award place too much emphasis on team success, media visibility, and reputation when casting their ballots, rather than individual performance alone.
Ferré has previously weighed in on how public campaigns waged by players and their representatives can shape perceptions of the race.
He cautioned that aggressive lobbying efforts risk alienating jurors rather than persuading them.
His latest comments add another layer to the ongoing conversation about what happens behind closed doors as football's biggest individual award is decided each year.
Kane moves top of Ballon d’Or ranking
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Harry Kane has moved to the top of the updated Ballon d’Or 2026 rankings after his strong UEFA Nations League campaign with England.
Lamine Yamal dropped to second after failing to score in Spain’s 2-1 comeback win over Croatia on Tuesday, October 7.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
