Real Madrid Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois Launches Scathing Attack on Ballon d’Or Voting Process

• Real Madrid number one Thibaut Courtois was not happy with his rankings in the final Ballon d'Or standings
• The Belgium international was named the seventh-best player by France Football on Monday
• Thibaut Courtois was adjudged the best goalkeeper in the world, beating off competition from Alisson Becker and Ederson

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has slammed the Ballon d'Or voting process, claiming that it is impossible for a goalkeeper to win the coveted prize.

The 30-year-old became the first Belgian player to clinch the Lev Yashin Trophy after edging competition from Alisson Becker, Ederson Moraes and Edouard Mendy.

The shot-stopper enjoyed a stunning 2021-22 campaign, keeping 22 clean sheets and conceding just 46 goals across all competitions, helping Real Madrid win the Champions League and La Liga.

However, Courtois placed seventh on the final Ballon d'Or rankings, and he has expressed his disappointment in the voting process for the award.

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“You win La Liga and you win the Champions League, your team wins thanks to your saves… and you only finish seventh,” Courtois was quoted by Goal.

"I think it's impossible for a goalkeeper to win the Ballon d'Or. The most beautiful thing is the collective trophies and I hope to go to Cibeles again in June. I expected to be in the top 5. As a goalkeeper I can't do more; the Ballon d'Or is usually won by a striker," he added.

Courtois was named Man of the Match in the UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool, where he was in imperious form to deny the Reds from finding the net several times.

The final Ballon d'Or rankings

Meanwhile, Karim Benzema clinched football's most prestigious award on Monday night, ahead of Bayern Munich's Sadio Mane and Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne.

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The Frenchman unsurprisingly scooped home the 2022 edition of the Ballon d'Or, following an impressive 2021-22 season with Real Madrid.

He etched his name into history as the first French player to win the individual prize since Zinedine Zidane in 1998.

Courtois returns from back injury

Sports Brief earlier reported that Thibaut Courtois was preparing for a return to Real Madrid in time for the recent El Clasico tie against Barcelona.

Courtois was sidelined after sustaining a back injury, leaving assistant goalkeeper Andriy Lunin to keep goal in his absence.