Saudi Goals Don't Count Do They? - Umtiti Calls Out Quinones for Ballon D'or Nomination

Saudi Goals Don't Count Do They? - Umtiti Calls Out Quinones for Ballon D'or Nomination

We are fast approaching the end of the year, and in football, that leaves one large topic left. That being the award all players dream of winning. The trophy that shows you are the best player in the world. The Ballon d’Or.

This year, the Ballon d’Or is different, with the World Cup having taken place. That is why we are seeing some interesting players alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal. One of those names is Julián Quiñones.

The Mexican is one of two players from the Saudi Pro League to have made the top 30 cut. He is joined by Sadio Mané from Al Nassr. The question is, does he deserve to be nominated for such a prestigious award?

Well, according to ex-Barcelona and France international Samuel Umtiti, the answer is no. In fact, the defender called his nomination a “joke”, labelling it as harming football. Some harsh words, but does he have a point?

🤬🇫🇷 French World Cup winner lashes out at Julian Quiñones over his Ballon d’Or nomination.

Samuel Umtiti disrespected the Mexican forward, saying he couldn’t believe he was among the nominees for the 2026 edition. 🏆

“Julian Quiñones is included, but what did he do at the… pic.twitter.com/bp4fxNSOzw

— All Fútbol MX 🇲🇽 (@AllFutbolMX) September 10, 2026

Quiñones had an amazing season and ended it with a solid World Cup as he helped Mexico to the round of 16, where England would finally end their run. The 29-year-old managed to score 37 goals and provide four assists last season with Al Qadsiah. In fact, these goals were enough for him to finish as the league’s top scorer on 33 goals, above the likes of Ivan Toney and even Cristiano Ronaldo.

So, the next question is, should those goals count towards the Ballon d’Or, or should the league be ignored?

Let’s start with the league’s ranking. The Saudi Pro League is ranked as the 36th-best league in the world. To put this into perspective, the Spanish second division is ranked 26th and the German second division is ranked 28th. While you need to take this ranking with a pinch of salt, it does show that the quality of the league is far from the best and that it should be easier to find success in it.

While we do say that the league is weak, the very top of the league does see some top players. We have already named Ivan Toney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mané. However, we also see players like João Félix, Mateo Retegui and Rúben Neves. These are all players who have shown elite levels when in Europe and now play in the same league.

Most of them have one thing in common, though: they haven’t been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, nor did they have great World Cups. That might show that they are no longer at the top level. Both João Félix and Ivan Toney played a combined 284 minutes at the World Cup this summer. Considering the seasons they had in Saudi Arabia, you might have expected them to play more.

However, those minutes might just prove Umtiti’s point. They have elite numbers in the Saudi top league, yet didn’t even feature as regulars in their national sides. That might just prove that the league isn’t that good. The fact that two of the best players the league has, and has ever seen, couldn’t even see the pitch for their nations is a damning sign for the league.

So, Does Umtiti Have a Point?

Quiñones has had an extraordinary season. Scoring over a goal per game is impressive, no matter the league. There’s no dismissing the fact that he had the season of his life. However, should that mean he deserves his nomination?

Well, firstly, if we are going after a player from the Saudi league, it should be Mané. He scored 14 goals and provided nine assists last season and, while he did win the league, he was far from the main player within the side.

You might say, “Well, he won AFCON.” Yes and no. Technically, did he win AFCON? Yes. He lifted the trophy after his side left the pitch in protest. However, after an appeal, Senegal was stripped of the title due to them breaking the rules with the protest. That means officially the Ballon d’Or won’t be counting it as an award won.

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Julián Quiñones and Sadio Mané are set to be named among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or.

🤝 @JacobsBen pic.twitter.com/E7QdXkBn6Q

— Sam C (@SamC_reports) September 7, 2026

It’s not like he had an amazing World Cup either: one assist, zero goals and a round-of-32 exit. In every way, Quiñones had a better season. The only difference is that he didn’t lift a trophy. This is where the issue then comes in, as if you were looking for a better name from the Saudi League, it would surely be João Félix. He won the league and Player of the Year.

So, in the case of Sadio Mané, Umtiti might have a point. However, Quiñones does seem to have a more valid claim to the award. That is until you look at some of the players from Europe who missed out on the nomination, such as Raphinha.

Overall, Quiñones does deserve recognition for his season. However, a player from the league ranked as the 36th-best league in the world doesn’t feel like they should be considered one of the best 30 players on the planet. It feels like the PR that the league has is almost pushing their players into more success than they would normally be getting. Without the spotlight, his season would have been more or less unknown by the casual couch fans.

Therefore, Umtiti might have a point.