Barcelona sporting director Deco has strongly criticised the decision to leave Pedri and Raphinha out of the Ballon d’Or top 30, describing the omissions as a “worldwide scandal.”

The two Barcelona stars were surprisingly absent from the prestigious shortlist despite playing influential roles for the Catalan club. Their exclusions have already sparked debate among supporters and football observers, with Deco becoming one of the most prominent figures to question the decision.

Speaking about the nominations, Deco made his position clear.

“In my opinion, it’s a worldwide scandal that Pedri and Raphinha are out of the Ballon d’Or top 30. They absolutely deserved to be there.”

The comments underline just how strongly Barcelona’s sporting director feels about the decision. For Deco, the issue is not simply about whether the players should have been ranked higher. He believes both deserved to be included among the 30 nominees in the first place.

Pedri’s Importance to Barcelona

Pedri has established himself as one of the most technically gifted midfielders of his generation. His ability to control the tempo of matches, progress the ball and operate under pressure has made him an essential part of Barcelona’s midfield.

Over the course of the season, the Spanish international continued to demonstrate why he is regarded as one of the club’s most important players. His performances have frequently gone beyond goals and assists, with his influence often visible in Barcelona’s possession, build-up play and ability to control games.

That type of contribution can sometimes be difficult to measure through statistics alone.

For Barcelona, Pedri’s importance is particularly significant because of the tactical demands placed on the midfield. His intelligence, passing ability and composure allow him to connect defence with attack while helping the team maintain control of possession.

Deco therefore believes Pedri’s overall contribution should have been enough to secure a place in the Ballon d’Or top 30.

Raphinha’s Remarkable Season

Raphinha’s omission is arguably even more surprising given his attacking output and his standing in the previous Ballon d’Or rankings.

The Brazilian winger enjoyed an outstanding campaign and was one of Barcelona’s most productive attacking players. His pace, directness, work rate and ability to create chances made him a constant threat to opposition defences.

Raphinha has also demonstrated considerable versatility during his time at Barcelona. Although primarily known as a winger, he has shown an ability to contribute in different attacking roles and has become an important part of the team’s offensive structure.

His performances have previously earned him recognition at the highest level. That makes his complete absence from the latest top 30 particularly difficult for many Barcelona supporters to understand.

Deco’s comments reflect that frustration.

Why the Decision Has Caused Debate

The Ballon d’Or is one of football’s most prestigious individual awards, and being included among the nominees is itself considered a major achievement.

The voting process, however, can be subjective. Voters consider a variety of factors, including individual performances, team success, consistency, major competitions and a player’s overall influence throughout the season.

That subjectivity inevitably creates disagreements.

A player can produce an excellent campaign and still miss out because of the strength of competition or because voters place greater emphasis on other achievements. Nevertheless, Deco believes Pedri and Raphinha’s performances were strong enough to overcome those factors.

His use of the phrase “worldwide scandal” demonstrates the extent of his disagreement.

Barcelona’s Frustration

From Barcelona’s perspective, the Ballon d’Or nominations are also a reflection of the club’s standing in world football.

Barcelona have traditionally had a strong presence among the award’s nominees, particularly during periods when the club has enjoyed domestic and European success. Having two key players left outside the top 30 is therefore a significant talking point.

The situation is made even more interesting by the fact that Barcelona continue to have players who are recognised among the world’s elite. The contrast between the players who were nominated and those who were left out is likely to fuel further debate as the award ceremony approaches.

For Deco, there appears to be little doubt about where Pedri and Raphinha belong.

Deco Defends His Players

As Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco has a responsibility to defend the club’s players, particularly when he believes they have been unfairly overlooked.

His comments can therefore be seen both as a personal assessment and as a statement of confidence in the quality of Barcelona’s squad.

The former Portugal international knows what it means to operate at the highest level of football. His career included major individual and team honours, giving his assessment additional weight among Barcelona supporters.

Whether other voters agree with him remains a matter of debate.

What This Means for Pedri and Raphinha

Despite missing out on the top 30, neither player needs the Ballon d’Or shortlist to validate his importance to Barcelona.

Pedri remains one of the club’s central midfield figures, while Raphinha continues to provide creativity and attacking threat. Their influence on Barcelona’s performances is ultimately more important to the club than an individual award nomination.

Still, recognition at the Ballon d’Or remains valuable. It provides players with international acknowledgement and places their performances in the wider context of world football.

For that reason, the omission is unlikely to disappear from the conversation anytime soon.

Deco’s Message Is Clear

Deco has made his opinion unmistakable: Pedri and Raphinha deserved to be among the 30 Ballon d’Or nominees.

Whether their exclusion was a genuine oversight, a consequence of the voting criteria or simply the result of intense competition for places will remain open to interpretation.

What is certain is that Barcelona’s sporting director believes the decision was wrong.

With both players continuing to perform at the highest level, their supporters will undoubtedly use the controversy as additional motivation to highlight their achievements.

For now, however, Pedri and Raphinha will have to watch the Ballon d’Or race from outside the top 30 — a decision that, according to Deco, represents nothing less than a “worldwide scandal.”