The Ballon d’Or is the ultimate individual prize in football, but it doesn’t always end up in the hands of the undisputed best player in the world.
Awarded to the player who is deemed the best in the world for their performances throughout the previous season, it’s unfortunately never quite as straightforward as we’ve just made it sound.
Vinicius Jr
As Vinicius trotted through the Borussia Dortmund defence and scored the goal to seal the Champions League for Real Madrid, a rather excitable Rio Ferdinand reacted by saying ‘Ballon d’Or’ on eight separate occasions.
Ferdinand was heavily mocked, but the common consensus was that the award would indeed be won by the fleet-footed Brazilian.
That was until the day of the 2024 ceremony when it leaked that Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri would be the winner instead.
Both Vini and the Madrid delegation reacted by refusing to attend the event in Paris in a supreme demonstration of pettiness. Perhaps an indifferent Copa America counted against him?
David Beckham
Beckham was instrumental for Manchester United as they became the first English club to win the continental treble in 1999.
He swung in the corner that Teddy Sheringham flicked onto Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to snatch the Champions League away from Bayern Munich, and scored in the win over Tottenham that secured the Premier League.
All in, the winger finished the season with nine goals and 20 assists in all competitions, operating at a near-unplayable level as United did the unthinkable. However, the Ballon d’Or was awarded to Rivaldo, who won La Liga with Barcelona. Outrage.
Franck Ribery
One of many who unfortunately became victims of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s success, Ribery was the arguably best pure winger on the planet in 2012-13, if not at the same level as the big two.
Stats aren’t everything, but 11 goals and 23 assists from just 43 games tell us all we need to know.
Ribery was on another planet and was instrumental in Bayern winning the treble. However, he could only manage third, behind second-placed Messi and first-placed Ronaldo. Of course.
Robert Lewandowski
Another Bayern forward somehow snubbed after a freakish feat, Lewandowski had made a career out of scoring for fun, but took things to another level in 2020.
He scored 55 (!) goals as Bayern won another continental treble, but wasn’t awarded the Ballon d’Or as the ceremony was cancelled due to COVID-19.
For most, that would be enough of a mental knock to kill your career. Not Lewandowski, though. He bounced back and bettered his tally the following season, hitting 62 goals in all competitions – but was snubbed for Messi as the ceremony returned.
Upon accepting the prize, Messi stated: “Everyone knows and we agree that you were the winner last year. I think France Football should award you your 2020 Ballon d’Or – you deserve it and you should have it at home.”
Erling Haaland
From the moment Messi lifted that World Cup in Qatar in late 2022, there was no chance anyone else was ever going to win the Ballon d’Or for 2022-23. No matter what.
That proved to be true as Messi won his record-extending eighth, despite Haaland bagging 52 goals in 53 games in his debut season at Manchester City, firing them to a first-ever Champions League and continental treble.
In the process, he set a new Premier League scoring record and finished as the Champions League top scorer, but never stood a chance for the Ballon d’Or despite Messi’s poor domestic season.
Thierry Henry
The debate continues about who should’ve won the Ballon d’Or in 2003, with many believing that Henry shouldn’t have missed out at the expense of Pavel Nedved.
Henry put in a Player of the Match performance in the final to help Arsenal win the FA Cup and was generally elite throughout the year. Nedved was instrumental in Juventus winning Serie A and reaching the Champions League final, though, meaning Henry missed out on top spot by just 62 points.
Fans feel the Frenchman was robbed even more so in 2004, won by Milan’s Andriy Shevchenko. Henry was once again unstoppable as Arsenal went the entire Premier League season unbeaten, but there was also a case to be made for Deco being hard done by that year
