Former Ghana international Asamoah Gyan believes African superstars Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané were worthy of winning football’s most prestigious individual award but were unfairly overlooked in the Ballon d’Or voting.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, the former Black Stars captain reflected on the long-standing challenges African players face in gaining full recognition on the global stage.

“Salah could have won a Ballon d’Or. Mané could have won a Ballon d’Or,” Gyan said, stressing that both players produced performances and achievements strong enough to merit the honour.

Gyan’s comments reignite debate around African representation in the Ballon d’Or, an award historically dominated by European and South American stars, despite the consistent excellence of African players at club and international level.