Munir Nasraoui, father of Barcelona's talented Lamine Yamal, refused to accept his son finishing only third in the Ballon d'Or race, won by Harry Kane ahead of Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé.
In fiery, candid remarks, the father of the Barcelona prodigy tore into the voting system in Spain, accusing it of favouring the Real Madrid striker simply for wearing the white shirt.
Speaking to the famous journalist Jota Jordi, Nasraoui voiced his shock at the votes that went to Mbappé, lifting him into second place. He questioned the criteria used by the Spanish delegate for France Football magazine, AS newspaper director José Félix Díaz.
Munir didn't hold back. "I wish one day to see on screen one of those who voted for Mbappé, and I would like to speak with him, and you too, my friend, one of Mbappé's fans," he said.
Lamine's father went further still, tying the matter directly to the pull of the Real Madrid shirt on certain votes. Many read it as a clear accusation of bias.
He added in an angry tone: "This thing only happens here in Spain. If the best player in the world plays for Real Madrid, then vote for the national team! I'm not saying, it's an award for a player and not for a team. We are in the twenty-first century, man!".
Those strong words lit a fierce debate in football circles. Just how much does a player's club allegiance sway his standing in the Ballon d'Or? It is an old question made new again, cutting to the heart of whether the voting is truly objective.
National loyalty, it seems, stretched well beyond Spain. The facts tell the story: Argentina voted for Lionel Messi, France backed Mbappé, England chose Harry Kane, and Georgia picked their own star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Each case only deepens the doubts over the real selection criteria.