Rami criticizes Putellas at Ballon d'Or, OM women's team speaks out

Louise Fleury, striker for Olympique de Marseille’s women’s team, publicly responded to Adil Rami, who had attacked Alexia Putellas’s speech on social media during the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony, held in London. The FC Barcelona midfielder had just won her third women’s Ballon d’Or.

Irritated by the length of the Spanish international’s remarks, the former central defender had said: “Drop the mic, damn it! (…) You set up at home, a little mic, the lights and then you can tell whatever you want.” The outburst quickly fueled debate over the space given to women’s football.

At a press conference, Louise Fleury made no attempt to hide her irritation. “It’s annoying but we have to keep fighting for it. Especially since it’s a bit bold to criticize Alexia Putellas who is Ballon d’Or for the third time,” she said.

The Marseille striker then broadened her comments beyond the controversy itself. “Today, all the girls are fighting so we have our place in this world of football,” she continued, recounting a revealing anecdote: before a match, a young girl allegedly told her that her father didn’t want her to play football. “I told her: ‘You’ll tell your dad that’s not the attitude he should have’,” Fleury reported.

The player hopes that the performances and voices of professional footballers will help change mindsets and show younger players that “we all have our place on the pitch.”

The controversy comes a week after Harry Kane’s triumph at the men’s Ballon d’Or, at a ceremony that had already sparked plenty of commentary.