Moroccan anger following Brahim's absence from African Ballon d'Or award

Brahim Diaz holds his hand over his heart before the international friendly football match between Morocco and Angola at the Adrar stadium in Agadir, Morocco, on March 22, 2024 - AFP/FADEL SENNA

José Toril

26 de octubre de 2024 (14:00 h.)

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The Spanish-Moroccan player had a great performance with Real Madrid and the Moroccan national team

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the ten nominees for the African Ballon d'Or, the most prestigious individual award for footballers on the continent.

Brahim Diaz is not among the names announced, which comes as a considerable surprise given the Real Madrid midfielder's excellent form last season.

Brahim, who resigned from representing Spain less than a year ago to play for Morocco, had been projected as one of the favourites to make the final list of African Ballon d'Or nominees. The player, who is of Moroccan descent on his father's side, decided to change international jerseys at a crucial moment in his career, which would allow him to compete and shine on the African stage with Morocco and, in the process, be considered for the award.

Brahim Díaz

Last season put Brahim in the spotlight. He scored 12 goals and provided nine assists across all competitions, as well as helping Real Madrid win major titles such as La Liga and the Champions League. Although he is not an undisputed starter for coach Carlo Ancelotti, Brahim showed his quality and was key in final passes or with the ball at his feet inside the box. His exclusion from the list, therefore, has generated surprise and debate in his national team.

Morocco, a country whose national team shone at the last FIFA World Cup with a fourth place finish, has an important representation in the list of finalists for the African Ballon d'Or with Soufiane Rrahimi. The striker of the United Arab Emirates club Al Ain has proven to be an important player and one of the stars of the Gulf league. Rrahimi has established himself as one of the leaders of the Moroccan national team. His candidacy for the Ballon d'Or is seen in a positive light, as it could represent a major triumph for Moroccan football and its supporters ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which they will share with Spain and Portugal.

Brahim Diaz celebrates after scoring a goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between CA Osasuna and Real Madrid CF at El Sadar Stadium on March 16, 2024 in Pamplona, Spain - PHOTO/JOSE BRETON/NurPhoto/NurPhoto via AFP)

This year's list of finalists includes leading figures in the world football elite:

Amine Gouiri (Rennes/Algeria): an outstanding striker who has attracted attention for his playing ability both in European leagues and with the Algerian national team.
Edmond Tapsoba (Leverkusen/Burkina Faso): A strong and talented centre-back who has been a mainstay in defence for Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen and the Burkina Faso national team.
Simon Adingra (Brighton/Ivory Coast): With great projection and goalscoring ability, Adingra has excelled in the Premier League and is already a talent to watch.
Chancel Mbemba (Marseille/Congo DR): A veteran defender who has been key for Marseille in France and for the Congolese national team.
Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund/Guinea): a natural goalscorer who has shown great scoring ability in the Bundesliga and represents one of Guinea's main hopes.

Apart from Brahim, other big names have not been included in this list, such as Victor Osimhen, the Nigerian striker who won the CAF Golden Ball in 2024 and currently plays for Galatasaray. Nor has Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's Egyptian star, made the final list. Two of the most conspicuous absences because both players are stars in African and world football.