SportsMole digs through the archives to name five unlucky players who didn't win the Ballon d'Or.
One of the things that makes football the most fascinating pastime in the world is the debate between friends and rivals about which club is bigger or better, which player is the best on the planet.
In the fifties, the French journalist Gabriel Hanot As he progressed, he decided to find a concrete solution to that last debate. Ballon d'Or The award crowns the best player of each calendar year (and now each individual season).
However, the results of that survey, conducted by journalists around the world, reveal some minor injustices, as some of the greatest players of all time are overlooked.
Here, game mole Here's a look at five players who should have won the Ballon d'Or but didn't.
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The inaugural entry on this list was in 1956, when the award was first awarded. black holeyes Stanley Matthews He won the prize just before real Madrid The legendary Alfredo Di Stéfano – won by 47 votes to 44.
Despite keeping just three clean sheets in 37 games in the 1955-56 season, Matthews was a surprise winner ahead of Di Stefano, who won the European Cup that year, scoring 29 goals in all competitions. Way to go for 43 runs in 43 games next season.
Ballon d'Or creator Hanod said Matthews had “something Charlie Chaplin said” and described Di Stéfano as “a great undefeated gentleman”.
As harsh as his words were, it was a strange choice, especially considering Bertrand Trotman He won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in England, which many attributed to his longevity in the game as the sole reason for the victory, but Di Stéfano won the award the following year by 19 votes to 72. Collect another European Cup with Real Madrid.
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Any award is questionable. Franz Beckenbauer 'Der Keizer' is dangerous territory given how brilliant a player he was throughout his career, but his 1972 Ballon d'Or was one that could easily have gone to a teammate.
'Der Bomber' Gert Müller was equally, if not more, influential Bayern Munich AND GermanyDominant in 1972, the striker scored 50 goals in the 1971-72 season to help the Bavarians win the Bundesliga title.
Muller's brilliant year did not end there, as he would win the Golden Boot at Euro 72, scoring twice and Germany scored twice in the final, taking the crown over neighbors Belgium.
Beckenbauer was certainly a huge presence for club and country, but considering that Müller was halfway to scoring 67 goals during the 1972-73 season, it was hard to overlook Bayern's all-time leading scorer. .
1974 – Franz Beckenbauer
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If Beckenbauer was lucky enough to win the award in 1972, it was a shame he didn't win it again in 1974, when he was a Dutch icon. Johan Cruyff Instead, he received praise.
Captaining Bayern Munich to Bundesliga and European Cup success before leading his country to the World Cup in 1974, making Germany world and European champions, it's hard to believe Beckenbauer wasn't a winner in the personal front.
Cruyff played a key role in the revolution Netherlands The team reached the 1974 World Cup final, won the Ballon d'Or and attended Barcelona For the La Liga title, it wasn't a scandalous result by any means, but being a flashier and more attacking player could have tipped the balance in his favor.
Beckenbauer missed out by just 11 votes, but if he had been asked, he would surely have finished 1974 a very satisfied man after receiving the holy trinity of trophies in the space of a few months.
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In 2010 there was no controversy. Lionel Messi The best player in the world, but looking only through the lens of that particular year, might have a little more luck winning a second consecutive Ballon d'Or.
Wesley Sneijder was a key factor Inter MilanUnder the impossible and historical triple Jose MourinhoBefore preparing, beat Messi's Barça in the semifinals Diego MilitoFirst goal in the final against Bayern Munich.
The Dutchman would later have an excellent World Cup in South Africa, scoring two goals in the quarterfinals against Brazil and in the semifinals against Uruguay, finishing as top scorer when the Netherlands reached the final.
Andres Iniesta Teaming with Messi to win La Liga and scoring the winning goal in the final, Spain won its first World Cup crown and finished second in the polls. A fourth must arrive.
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The last entry on this list goes to the unfortunate Robert Lewandowski, who denies him the chance to win an elusive Ballon d'Or in 2020.
Although football continued to take place for most of 2020, the controversial decision was made that year to cancel the award, in addition to a three-month suspension from March to the end of May.
Lewandowski won the treble with Bayern, scoring a staggering 55 goals in 47 games in all competitions.
Unfortunately, Lewandowski plays for a relatively weak country, and neither Bayern nor current club Barça have reached the same heights, meaning he failed to win the award even though Messi's Copa América triumph was left behind. second a year later. With Argentina.
