Lionel Messi and Wesley Sneijder Clash Over the 2010 Voting Rules
Lionel Messi claimed his second Ballon d’Or in 2010 following another stellar season with Barcelona, but the voting system triggered a historic controversy by merging with the FIFA World Player award to incorporate ballots from national team captains and coaches alongside traditional journalists. Wesley Sneijder finished fourth in the overall standings despite winning the Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Champions League with Inter Milan, alongside reaching the World Cup final with the Netherlands.
Journalists favored Sneijder in their ballots, followed by Spain’s World Cup winners Andrés Iniesta and Xavi, with Messi placing fourth among media voters. However, support from captains and managers propelled the Argentine forward to first place in the combined tally. Under the previous exclusive voting system managed solely by journalists, Sneijder would have secured the trophy.
Cristiano Ronaldo Benefits from a Controversial 2013 Deadline Extension
FIFA intensified the debate by extending the voting deadline from November 15 to November 29 after the initial window closed, permitting voters to alter previously submitted ballots. The adjustment arrived immediately after Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Sweden in the World Cup playoffs to secure Portugal’s qualification. Ribéry led the media vote, but captain and coach selections favored Ronaldo in the final compilation.
Robert Lewandowski Misses Out After a Record-Breaking 2021 Campaign
Lionel Messi secured his seventh Ballon d’Or in 2021 after winning the Copa América with Argentina and the Copa del Rey with Barcelona, finishing just 33 points ahead of Robert Lewandowski. Lewandowski accumulated 580 points compared to Messi’s 613 following a prolific season where he scored 41 goals in the Bundesliga to break Gerd Müller’s long-standing scoring record from 1972.
The Polish striker’s candidacy carried additional weight due to the cancellation of the 2020 award by France Football during the COVID-19 pandemic, a year when Lewandowski won the continental treble with Bayern Munich and stood as the consensus favorite. During his acceptance speech, Messi acknowledged Lewandowski’s missed recognition and urged the publication to award him the canceled 2020 trophy.
Erling Haaland Falls Short Against Messi’s World Cup Triumph in 2023
The final tally gave Messi 462 points to Haaland’s 357, illustrating the voting jury’s preference for international tournament success over club dominance. The outcome reignited debates over whether a single winter tournament holds more weight than an entire domestic and continental club season.