Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has complained again about missing out on the Ballon d'Or award.
Courtois was exceptional last season as Madrid won both the La Liga title and a record-extending 14th European Cup.
The Belgium international produced a man-of-the-match performance in the Champions League final as Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in Paris.
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In recognition of his heroics last season, Courtois picked up the Yashin Trophy this week – awarded to the best goalkeeper in world football.
But he could only place seventh in the rankings for the Ballon d'Or, which went instead to his Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema.
After the awards ceremony in Paris, Courtois complained about the voting process for the main award – claiming it is "impossible" for a goalkeeper to win it.
He has now repeated those complaints in an interview with French publication L'Equipe.
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"Without a good goalkeeper you don't win a trophy. And in football awards, sometimes we forget that," said Courtois.
"People vote faster for a striker who scores goals than by a goalkeeper. Too bad. But we will continue to show that goalkeepers are really important.
"Last year, if we won the Champions League it wasn't just thanks to Vinicius, (Federico) Valverde, (Karim) Benzema or Rodrygo. It was also thanks to Courtois.
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"The modern goalkeeper is no longer alone to save goals. Here in Madrid I also have to start the plays, it is I who with the first pass will decide how we are going to mount the attack or how we are going to get out of the rival's pressure.
"Today you are almost a playmaker, goalkeepers are much more important than you think."
In total, Courtois received only 82 votes in the Ballon d'Or rankings, just 14.9 per cent of those given to Benzema.
Courtois believes goalkeepers attract criticism much easier than praise.
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"It is often written in big letters (in the newspapers) when it is a goalkeeper who makes a mistake," he added.
"As soon as he makes a small mistake, they kill him and say the game was lost because of him.
"Sometimes we forget that the striker before, he may also have missed five or six easy scoring chances."
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Lev Yashin still remains the only goalkeeper to have ever won the Ballon d'Or, having claimed the award in 1963.
Do you agree with Courtois? Let us know your thoughts.
Topics: Thibaut Courtois, Football, Real Madrid, La Liga
Rory O'Callaghan