And why do you think so, or who should have been the winner that year?
Which year do you think the Ballon d’Or winner was undeserved?
- Thread starter Sir Erik ten Hag
- Start date
The year that Beckham didn't win
The year that Henry didn't win
The year that Lewandowski didn't win
because they should have won
I also think there was a year that Messi won that Neymar was better than him, IIRC
The year that Henry didn't win
The year that Lewandowski didn't win
because they should have won
I also think there was a year that Messi won that Neymar was better than him, IIRC
1999 Rivaldo - Beckham should have won it. Had a sensational year and helped united win the treble.
2004 Sheva - Henry was just ridiculously good that year. Almost unplayable at his peak. Had more goals and assists than Sheva, was better than him overall and won the league title with arsenal unbeaten.
2004 Sheva - Henry was just ridiculously good that year. Almost unplayable at his peak. Had more goals and assists than Sheva, was better than him overall and won the league title with arsenal unbeaten.
Tbh , most years that Messi won it.
Van Dijk should have won over Messi 2019. Deco should have won the year Porto won CL, and Messi was way better than Modric in 2018 (yet was somehow only voted 5th). I also agree with Henry in 2004.
Cannavaro 2006. Buffon was more influencial for Juve and Italy, Henry brought Arsenal to the final of the champions league and reached the WC final. Zidane had a monster world cup as well.
Buffon should have won it overall
Buffon should have won it overall
2013, 2014 and 2016 CR7 wins. He either won nothing (2013) or he didn't have key contributions to his team wins in the other. 2014 was a WC flop and did nothing in the final for Madrid and didn't play in Copa final. 2016 won Euros and CL but did nothing or even play in the important games for Madrid.
Still think Van Dijk should've won it that year and maybe. I'm sure the entire CAF agrees with that unanymously.
This year is a bit iffy too. I get that he won the WC and stuff, but if Kolo Muani buries that huge chance Mbappe would've deservedly won it. If Robben had buried that chance in 2010, Sneijder would've won it.
Funny how that works.
The talent of the year award is way more interesting. Some absolute sensational dudes in there this year with Musiala, Bellingham, Gavi, Pedri and to a lesser extend Simons.
This year is a bit iffy too. I get that he won the WC and stuff, but if Kolo Muani buries that huge chance Mbappe would've deservedly won it. If Robben had buried that chance in 2010, Sneijder would've won it.
Funny how that works.
The talent of the year award is way more interesting. Some absolute sensational dudes in there this year with Musiala, Bellingham, Gavi, Pedri and to a lesser extend Simons.
Luis Suarez in 1960, biting cnut wasn't even born yet.
Anyone who says Messi in 2010 is buying into a footballing myth and simply doesn’t remember how obvious it was that he was the best player on the planet that year.
People just look back and think Sneijder should have done as they see he won the treble + got to the World Cup final but there was barely anyone at the time who thought he should actually win. Hate the way these myths come along.
People just look back and think Sneijder should have done as they see he won the treble + got to the World Cup final but there was barely anyone at the time who thought he should actually win. Hate the way these myths come along.
Through the 1990s and 2000s here are the players who didn't win both the Ballon D'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year awards in the same year:
1991 - Papin wins Ballon by a mile, Matthaus pips him to the FIFA award. Matthaus was sensational in 90/91, but equally Papin was the leading goalscorer for the best team in Europe and would be the equivalent of Haaland winning it yesterday.
1994 - Stoichkov wins the then European-only Ballon, Romario the FIFA award.
1996 - Sammer edges Ronaldo by a point in the Ballon, but only comes 4th in the FIFA award which Ronaldo wins by some distance. Perhaps reflects the make-up of the voters - hipster journalists prizing Sammer's contribution from the back, players and coaches getting giddy over the strikers in the FIFA award.
2000 - Figo edges out Zidane for the Ballon, Zidane does the same to Figo for the FIFA award. Good case for both that year.
2001 - Owen wins the Ballon, yet is only 8th in the FIFA award, which is won by Figo ahead of Beckham. Clearly Owen's award was the most contentious of the lot so far.
2003 - Nedved wins the Ballon, Zidane the FIFA award. Henry was very unlucky here, but Nedved's talismanic performances for Juventus were compelling, with his goal against Madrid arguably the moment he won it.
2004 - Shevchenko wins the Ballon, Ronaldinho the FIFA award. Feels a bit like '96 again.
And if the award wasn't merged from 2010-2015, then:
2010 - Iniesta wins a theoretical Ballon, Messi the FIFA award
2013 - Ribery wins the Ballon, Ronaldo wins the other one.
Not much to go on since 2016 given the 'Best' award is a crock of shite. But to pull out the narrow winners who would possibly have been split under the old system:
2019 - Messi over Van Dijk
2021 - Messi over Lewandowski
Take your pick from that lot. I find it hard to entertain anyone from outwith those years because everyone else won it comfortably and won both the journalist and player/coach vote.
1991 - Papin wins Ballon by a mile, Matthaus pips him to the FIFA award. Matthaus was sensational in 90/91, but equally Papin was the leading goalscorer for the best team in Europe and would be the equivalent of Haaland winning it yesterday.
1994 - Stoichkov wins the then European-only Ballon, Romario the FIFA award.
1996 - Sammer edges Ronaldo by a point in the Ballon, but only comes 4th in the FIFA award which Ronaldo wins by some distance. Perhaps reflects the make-up of the voters - hipster journalists prizing Sammer's contribution from the back, players and coaches getting giddy over the strikers in the FIFA award.
2000 - Figo edges out Zidane for the Ballon, Zidane does the same to Figo for the FIFA award. Good case for both that year.
2001 - Owen wins the Ballon, yet is only 8th in the FIFA award, which is won by Figo ahead of Beckham. Clearly Owen's award was the most contentious of the lot so far.
2003 - Nedved wins the Ballon, Zidane the FIFA award. Henry was very unlucky here, but Nedved's talismanic performances for Juventus were compelling, with his goal against Madrid arguably the moment he won it.
2004 - Shevchenko wins the Ballon, Ronaldinho the FIFA award. Feels a bit like '96 again.
And if the award wasn't merged from 2010-2015, then:
2010 - Iniesta wins a theoretical Ballon, Messi the FIFA award
2013 - Ribery wins the Ballon, Ronaldo wins the other one.
Not much to go on since 2016 given the 'Best' award is a crock of shite. But to pull out the narrow winners who would possibly have been split under the old system:
2019 - Messi over Van Dijk
2021 - Messi over Lewandowski
Take your pick from that lot. I find it hard to entertain anyone from outwith those years because everyone else won it comfortably and won both the journalist and player/coach vote.
Got to be Michael Owen.
A player who could never do anything but run off the shoulder of the last defender and poach goals was the 5th highest scorer in the league (outscored by Marcus Stewart), wins three second rate cup competitions (scoring in one of the finals) and gets given the fecking Ballon d'Or for it.
A player who could never do anything but run off the shoulder of the last defender and poach goals was the 5th highest scorer in the league (outscored by Marcus Stewart), wins three second rate cup competitions (scoring in one of the finals) and gets given the fecking Ballon d'Or for it.
Lewa should have won it.
2010.. Iniesta wins every major trophy with club and country, scores in the World Cup Final and it's Messi who wins the Ballon D'or
2023: Mbappe
2022: Benzema
2021: Lewandowski
2020: Lewandowski
2019: Messi
2018: Messi
2017: Ronaldo
2016: Suarez
2015: Messi
2014: Ronaldo
2013: Messi
2012: Messi
2011: Messi
2010: Messi
2009: Messi
2008: Ronaldo
2022: Benzema
2021: Lewandowski
2020: Lewandowski
2019: Messi
2018: Messi
2017: Ronaldo
2016: Suarez
2015: Messi
2014: Ronaldo
2013: Messi
2012: Messi
2011: Messi
2010: Messi
2009: Messi
2008: Ronaldo
Ribery was robbed because he's too ugly?
It's a marketing award as much as it's got anything to do with football as a sport.
It's a marketing award as much as it's got anything to do with football as a sport.
2023
Should have won by Haaland. record breaking league goals record and treble. If that isn't enough to win, I don't know what else is enough
Every year Ronaldo won it he earned it I think. But there's at least 2 years where Messi won it, but should have been someone else. Like Ribery/Robben
Did you watch football that year?
I secretly agreed with it whilst vehemently calling him overrated all season to my Liverpool-supporting friends.
Ribéry should have won in 2013... when Ronaldo won it.
99 should've been Beckham
04 should've been Henry
18 should've been Ronaldo
And the last 2 Messi won he should not have won. Should have been Lewandowski and Halland
04 should've been Henry
18 should've been Ronaldo
And the last 2 Messi won he should not have won. Should have been Lewandowski and Halland
No way should Cannavaro have won it in 2006. Maybe Henry or Ronaldinho that year.
This year for starters ….scoring four pens in a WC doesn’t do it for me.
Watch Haaland dominate the next ones despite being hideous
N'Golo Kante should have won it in 2021.
Raul in 2001 over Owen
When Modric won it and Messi came 5th, the award lost any credibility it had
Ronaldo has no business winning it in 2013 without winning a single cup, the one&only player for whom the Ballon D'or deadline has been extended in its history to give the award to Ronaldo because he scored a hat-trick against mighty Sweden, pure daylight robbery.. The one and only player in Ballon D'or history that won BOD without a single cup..
Ronaldo in 2014 also does not deserve it, could not even go beyond the group stage in the WC getting eliminated by mighty USA..
Those who think Lewa should win in 2021 because he won "1-team" league Bundesliga as a top goal-scorer are too funny.. Messi was the La Liga top goal-scorer, best forward, top assister, Copa MVP, Copa top goalscorer, IFFHS World's best playmaker no.2. You do not win Ballon D'or in this age by being a top goal-scorer at Bayern only.
Messi easily deserves 2019 too, no question, there is not a single year Ronaldo individually achieved all Messi did in 2019. That's how ridiculous it is to suggest he does not deserve it. The same guys think Lewa should win it as Bundesliga top goal-scorer in 2021..
Messi in 2019
Fifa Best
Golden Shoe
CL top goalscorer
CL best forward
IFFHS World's Best Playmaker
La Liga MVP
La Liga top goalscorer
La Liga most assists
Ronaldo in 2014 also does not deserve it, could not even go beyond the group stage in the WC getting eliminated by mighty USA..
Those who think Lewa should win in 2021 because he won "1-team" league Bundesliga as a top goal-scorer are too funny.. Messi was the La Liga top goal-scorer, best forward, top assister, Copa MVP, Copa top goalscorer, IFFHS World's best playmaker no.2. You do not win Ballon D'or in this age by being a top goal-scorer at Bayern only.
Messi easily deserves 2019 too, no question, there is not a single year Ronaldo individually achieved all Messi did in 2019. That's how ridiculous it is to suggest he does not deserve it. The same guys think Lewa should win it as Bundesliga top goal-scorer in 2021..
Messi in 2019
Fifa Best
Golden Shoe
CL top goalscorer
CL best forward
IFFHS World's Best Playmaker
La Liga MVP
La Liga top goalscorer
La Liga most assists
Last edited:
Think this year is the only year Messi shouldn’t have won it but did, but feel should have probably won others like 2014.
Ronaldo/Messi probably both have a few where it should have gone elsewhere. The issue is there seems to be no consistency with who gets it, Xavi/Iniesta not winning it that year really hammers that part home.
In terms of Barca performances Messi upped his lvl even more than from 2009. At the time all the pundits and commentators were all waiting for the final reason to call him the best ever. I dont think it can be undeestimated how alien he was considered then.
I don't think you can look past Xavi/Iniesta - if they just want the Ballon D'Or to be a global golden boot that's fine but it's supposed to reflective of all footballers (which in reality means midfielders and attackers).
Messi is and was much more than a goalscorer. He was motm in the 5-0 demolition of Madrid despite not scoring. Anyway is Xavi or Inesta for you for 2010? Or is it Sneidjer?
But yeah Messi dribbled like best ever in 2010 and scored 60 goals in 64 matches and had iconic assists.
Xavi for me, probably more stylistic preference over Iniesta.
Tbf Messi shared his ballon d'or with them in the interview on the plane.
Yeah I did..So did the journalists who were invited to vote for the 2010 Ballon d'Or. Iniesta and Xavi were well ahead of Messi. He scored a lot but only won La Liga and the Super CupDid you watch football that year?
Wait when was the year that they suddenly decided to extend the applicable time line to include that Portugal Sweden game? Whoever was supposed to win it instead of Ronaldo should've won it then.
Name 4 years he didn't deserve it.