Arsenal: Arsene Wenger Waging War On Individualism Through Ballon D’Or Snub

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s recent comments about Mesut Ozil’s Ballon d’Or nomination made headlines because Mesut Ozil was, in fact, not nominated at all.

Arsenal, like many other clubs out there, are up against it to procure a player capable of capturing the Ballon d’Or. However, Mesut Ozil has himself a pretty solid chance. And while he wasn’t nominated, Wenger didn’t get the notice. Still, the content of what he was saying was far more interesting than the mistake itself.

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Wenger remarked that he is ‘against’ the Ballon d’Or because it leads to people ‘only thinking about themselves and not the team performance.’ He said he believes football to be a ‘collective sport’ bravely facing and opposing ‘a world where everything is already individualised’.

It’s not the first time he has stated his opposition to the Ballon d’Or. He previously declared he would ‘not vote for anybody’ to win the award because he was a ‘team-lover’ and a ‘specialist of somebody who loves team-work’.

For Wenger, the sport’s obsession with the Ballon d’Or is symptomatic of the process of its individualisation. It’s a night when one man is celebrated, lauded and deified for his achievements within the context of his, and 10 other men’s, hard work.

This deification seems to particularly annoy Wenger. He once reminded a journalist that, despite being an acclaimed coach, he had ‘not created anything.’ In other words, he is no God, no divine being, and nor are the great players that the Ballon d’Or exalts. Wenger himself prefers not to be exalted, once describing himself as ‘only a guide’ and ‘facilitator of what is beautiful in man.’ Where Wenger provides a platform for others, the Ballon d’Or provides a stage.

True to this modesty is Wenger’s discomfort in the face of accreditation. In the lead up to the anniversary of his 20 years in charge of Arsenal, he rejected offers of additional interviews and marked the occasion by standing awkwardly for photographs with a shy glass vase awarded to him by the club’s chairman. “20 years…” he shrugged, before thanking the club and beginning the conference.

The Arsenal teams Wenger assembles strongly reflect his collectivist philosophy. Patient passing is prioritised ahead of headline-seeking potshots. Goals are shared among the team. Attacks are built from the back and encouraged to involve every player. The decision regarding club captain appears to be an inconvenient after-thought for Wenger, the responsibility being assigned seemingly at random, like a classroom rabbit in school holidays.

The pay structure at Arsenal also embodies this anti-individualist mentality. Wenger has described it as a ‘socialist model’ where the gap between the club’s highest earners and its lowest is far narrower than at other top clubs. No room for 250k-a-week induced egos.

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When egotists have infiltrated Wenger’s world, they haven’t lasted. Ashley Cole’s illegal attempt to broker a money-spinning move to Chelsea, without Wenger’s knowledge, signalled the end to his Arsenal career. William Gallas’ public criticism of team-mates lead to Wenger dropping him and stripping him of his captaincy. Wojciech Szczesny’s refusal to adhere to club rules on smoking saw the renegade Pole dropped from the side and subsequently loaned out to Roma. Three players. Three acts of defiant individualism – all smote by Wenger.

That’s not to mention Bendtner, Nasri, and Adebayor in between. Now at Nottingham Forest, Sevilla and Nowhere, respectively.

What is notable about Arsene’s current squad is a total lack of egos or displays of individualism. The two biggest players at the club, Sanchez and Ozil, are about as ego-free as super-star footballers get. There seems to be a promising cocktail of adherence and humility off the field and a confident Band-of-Brothers togetherness on it.

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And that cocktail will make for an interesting afternoon out at the Ego Club of Old Trafford, where football’s biggest narcissist oversees operations while his super-ego minions, Zlatan and Paul, guard the door.