NT should mean nothing in this kind of contests, if Ronaldo or Messi played for Poland or Norway they’d never win it
The Frenchman Luka Modric
En German CR7, the Spanish Messi
I blame FIFA for 2010 and 2014, they owned the Ballon d’Or during this era before it came back to French Football and clearly their voting system had issues
No, they did not “own” it. It was a collaborative between two. Tho I agree. In 2010 Iniesta had the most journalist vote, in 2013 ribery, and I think in 2014 it was neuer.
I still don’t know how Modric won the 2018 Ballon D’or. He was not the best player in the world that year lol.
He was one of the best though. People underestimate his performance in the WC imo, especially in these comments
French vote was split between Mbappé, Griezmann and someone else. On top of that, voter fatigue and World Cup
Modric deserved it for his career and for carrying Croatia to a world cup final. Only Cristiano getting a Balon d’Or in that STACKED Real Madrid squad that won five UCLs would have been a travesty. I sincerely don’t get why Reddit is so annoyed by Modric getting a Balon d’Or, seems to be a “stats” thing.
Ronaldo would’ve won it if he didn’t ask to leave Madrid lol
Perez too strong
It was the greatest media campaign. People were so pissed xavi and iniesta never got one and there was this campaign for anyone not Messi or Ronaldo, it was like a gift to prove it wasn’t only for attackers
Bullshit lmao 🤣.
At worst Modric was top 5 in World Cup.
Same with CL. Best midfielder in CL.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Ronaldo 100% wins it if he doesn’t ask to leave madrid. He was insane that year.
Modric won it by a big margin. He would’ve won it regardless.
753 points for Modric
478 points for Ronaldo
Clearest example of the strength of Madrid PR we have. That was 100% Cristiano’s Balon to win, yet the moment he left Madrid suddenly next best got propped up and ended up getting it against all odds.
against all odds
He won the CL and carried Croatia to a world cup final
Except he was awful in the first half of the season. Paulinho outscored him up until Christmas lol.
Well it’s a good thing the first half doesn’t count towards the 2018 B’Dor lol.
It wasnt based on season, but on calendae year.
that just puts that absurd comeback in the second half he had in perspective.
As many have joked before, “the Ballon D’or is won by Florentino, not by the players”.
And Messi in 2010. Iniesta Xavi or Sneijder deserved that
Neither was Messi this year and he’ll probably win it as well
Was indisputably the best player in world Cup and he did actually won the world Cup not the runner up medal
He wasn’t even best player in his team.
That’s bullshit now.
W Modrić
People in the comment section acting like CR not winning in 2018 is the craziest thing and not Messi winning it ahead of Sneijder or Iniesta in 2010 lmao Homie did shit in the WC, and got knocked out by Sneijder’s Inter in the CL semis.
Homie haha
There’s too much weight in Sneijder’s treble when it was Milito who scored in the ucl final, coppa italia final and the final game of the season. He wasn’t even in the 30 man nomination.
This doesn’t show additional context. Like in 2002, Oliver Khan finished 3rd, only behind R9 and Roberto Carlos. Bayern didn’t win a thing in 01/02, that was absolutely because of how well Khan did at the World Cup. Same with Messi winning over Lewa in 2021, he’d finally won an international trophy, so got rewarded for it
Neuer not winning in 2014 was crazy
Neuer eserved the World Cup Golden Ball but not the Ballon D’Or
2010 ballon d’or should have been Diego Milito, he had an incredible performance that year
Idk why people always cry that French football rigged the voting criteria. When there is no voting criteria. They nominate 30 players and pick one voter from each country who ranks their top 5. They can vote for whoever they want for whatever reason. Just look at Sri Lankan voting the last couple of years. Some of thus voting is not even football related like in 2021 when Kjaer got nominated and even got some votes. And we all know that the votes were saving Eriksen life and not for his football
To me 30 is also an INSANE number that invites more biased votes from local journos… especially with GK having its separate award I wouldn’t go past 10 nominees… and no, I am not putting people in just to shoutout a great season that’s not what the award is for. Someone like Osimhen for example had obviously a great season but would be insane to put in any top 3 in the world
They nominate 30 players and pick one voter from each country who ranks their top 5.
Each year there are journalists who say the people who they voted for got changed when the results got processed. But the journalists get ignored every time
The best was when it was combined with the FIFA best player and a journalist, national manager, and national captain would all get a vote and some small island nation had all three voted for Gotze in 2014. I can only assume that the World Cup final is the only game they had on TV that year.
The 2006 for Cannavaro is just laughable; the fact he has a Ballon D’or is ridiculous
Ronaldo deserved it more than Zidane in 1998
Modric and Cannavaro don’t deserve it. Only undeserved one on this list.
Is the 2010 where Xavi and Iniesta were also candidates?
I honestly felt Xavi or Iniesta should have got it. Their achievements with Barcelona and Spain were mesmerizing.
Forlan had a better WC than them and at club level Messi just was otherworldly.
Si
it’s so crazy that modric has a ballon d’or and iniesta/xavi doesnt have one. how many players did messi/ronaldo ‘rob’ of having won the ballon d’or? (maybe prevent is the better word, not rob)
Messi and Ronaldo were by fast the best players between 2007 and 2015. Spain winning the World Cup didn’t change this fact. It’s not Ronaldos and Messis fault that the rest of their teams didn’t perform at the World Cup.