Ballon d'Or 2018: Senegalese Juror Lynched for Not Ranking Mané First

In 2018, Senegalese Ballon d’Or juror Aliou Goloko ranked Sadio Mané fifth in his vote, refusing to place him at the top of his list. This choice earned him several days of intense harassment, including threats and insults, as he confides in Pascal Ferré’s book The Hidden Face of the Ballon d’Or, published by Albin Michel.

“I was a victim of real public lynching for a few days, especially on social media,” Goloko testifies. “I was the bad African, the one who didn’t support his brothers. People told me: ‘Europeans vote for Europeans, South Americans vote for theirs too. So why don’t Africans do the same?’” The pressure quickly spilled beyond the digital realm. “There were threats, insults. I was forced to go defend myself on TV shows to explain the subjective aspect but also the independence of the voter.”

Pascal Ferré, former France Football director and historical organizer of the award, emphasizes in his book that Aliou Goloko never complained directly to Mané. “Proof, if any were needed, that the pressure comes less from the actors than from their puppeteers,” he writes.

This story resurfaces on the occasion of the 2026 Ballon d’Or, where Sadio Mané, despite being crowned best player of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, finished 29th in the 70th edition, tied with William Saliba. The full details of the votes, expected in France Football magazine, will reveal whether the Senegalese juror of this edition chose to rank the Al-Nassr forward at the top of his ranking — and whether he will, in turn, have to bear the consequences.