7 Biggest Ballon d'Or Snubs of All Time

The Ballon d'Or has a contentious history marked by numerous controversial decisions where deserving players, like Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta, were arguably snubbed.

The Ballon d'Or is widely regarded as football's most prestigious individual award and is meant to crown the world's best player each year.

Yet, since its inception in 1956, the Ballon d’Or’s history is marred with controversial decisions, whether due to politics, timing, or sheer competition.

Several football icons have been left out of the golden opportunity to be nominated, and in this article, Pulse Sports Kenya looks at 7 of the biggest Ballon d’Or snubs of all time.

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The article will explore why these incredible talents arguably deserved the Golden Ball and the circumstances that denied them that chance.

1) Thierry Henry (Arsenal, 2003 and 2004)

In the early 2000s, Thierry Henry was one of the most feared forwards in the Premier League. In 2003, he scored 42 goals and had 23 assists in all competitions.

In the same year, he led Arsenal to the FA Cup triumph and was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year.

However, despite his impressive campaign, Juventus’ Pavel Nedvěd took home the Ballon d'Or. Pavel Nedvěd had a strong season, winning Serie A and reaching the Champions League final, but arguably did not possess the brilliance Thierry Henry had.

The following year, 2004, the prolific French striker spearheaded Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ season, going unbeaten in the league, and yet again, he was overlooked.

He led Arsenal to an unbeaten Premier League and won the European Golden Boot with 39 goals in all competitions.

Andriy Shevchenko ultimately claimed the award, with Deco and Ronaldinho also ahead of Henry in the voting. His failure to win a Champions League medal in these years is often cited as a factor.

2) Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan, 2010)

Wesley Sneijder remains at the heart of the 2010 Ballon d'Or. The event remains one of the most hotly debated decisions in the award's history.

The Dutch playmaker was phenomenal throughout the season, determining Inter Milan's historic treble under Jose Mourinho.

He was very instrumental as the club won the Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and the Champions League. Beyond club success, Wesley Sneijder led the Netherlands to the World Cup final, scoring five goals.

He was named Man of the Match four times and was arguably the tournament's standout player. On top of that, Wesley Sneijder was named the UEFA Midfielder of the Year. However, the Ballon d'Or was awarded to Lionel Messi.

There is no doubt that Lionel Messi had an outstanding season for Barcelona, scoring 47 goals, Barcelona failed to win the Champions League that year.

At the same time, Argentina exited the World Cup at the quarter-final stage. Despite his impressive campaign, Wesley Sneijder finished fourth behind Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Xavi.

3) Andres Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona, 2010)

Andres Iniesta, of Barcelona and Spain, was a wonder who could always glide past opponents. His recognition often played second fiddle to the goal-scoring exploits of others. During the 2010 season, Andres Iniesta enjoyed an iconic year.

Andres Iniesta was a very important player in Barcelona's La Liga-winning side, and one of the most memorable moments was him scoring the winning goal in the World Cup final against the Netherlands.

With that, he helped secure Spain's first-ever World Cup title with his performances throughout the tournament, earning him multiple Man of the Match awards and a place in the World Cup All-Star Team.

He finished second in the Ballon d'Or voting that year, but still fell short of the top prize that many felt was his due.

He continued his exceptional form into 2012, leading Spain to their second consecutive European Championship title. Andres Iniesta earned the UEFA Euro Player of the Tournament award.

He also won the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award in 2012, and despite these immense individual and collective achievements, he finished third in the Ballon d'Or voting.

4) Xavi Hernandez (Spain/Barcelona, 2009–2011)

Xavi Hernandez’s trophy cabinet is overflowing with team accolades, but his brilliance was often overlooked, especially for the Ballon d'Or.

In 2009, Xavi was a vital component of Pep Guardiola's revolutionary Barcelona side that won the La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.

Xavi Hernandez won the Man of the Match award in the 2009 Champions League Final. He went ahead to finish third in the Ballon d'Or voting that year, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 2010 Ballon d'Or saw Xavi finish third again, despite a year where he had an even stronger claim. Many believed he, or his teammate Iniesta, should have lifted the Golden Ball that year, but that was not the case.

In 2011, Xavi Hernandez continued to shine, helping Barcelona win another La Liga and Champions League double, once again finishing third in the Ballon d'Or voting.

His consistent exclusion from the top spot, despite his profound impact on two of the most dominant teams in football history, remains a significant talking point.

5) Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich, 2013)

The 2013 Ballon d'Or decision sparked widespread outrage, particularly from Franck Ribéry himself, who felt ‘robbed.’

Franck Ribéry was the undisputed star of a Bayern Munich side that achieved an incredible treble, winning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and the UEFA Champions League.

He was named UEFA Best Player in Europe, and at the time, widely considered the favorite for the Ballon d'Or.

However, the award ultimately went to Cristiano Ronaldo, who, while enjoying a prolific goal-scoring year (66 goals in 56 games), did not win any major team silverware with Real Madrid.

The controversy was amplified by the fact that the voting deadline was controversially extended by two weeks, a period during which Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a spectacular hat-trick for Portugal in a World Cup playoff.

Ribéry went ahead to finish third behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and that result remains one of the most talked-about injustices in the award's history.

6) Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, 2020 and 2021)

Robert Lewandowski was snubbed twice, a particularly cruel fate for a striker whose goal-scoring prowess reached unprecedented heights.

In 2020, Robert Lewandowski was impressive as he led Bayern Munich to a historic treble, scoring an astonishing 55 goals in 47 games across all competitions. He was the top scorer in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League.

He was the overwhelming favourite for the Ballon d'Or, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, France Football controversially cancelled the award for that year.

The following year, in 2021, Robert Lewandowski continued his relentless goal-scoring, breaking Gerd Müller's long-standing record for the most goals in a single Bundesliga season with 41.

Despite his impressive run, these incredible numbers and consistent dominance, the Ballon d'Or was awarded to Lionel Messi, primarily for his Copa America triumph with Argentina.

7) Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus/Italy, 2006)

Gianluigi Buffon remains one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. He came close to winning the Ballon d'Or in 2006.

He was part of the Italian team that famously won the FIFA World Cup in Germany, and throughout the tournament, he only conceded two goals in seven matches. He kept five clean sheets, a World Cup record for a winning goalkeeper.

His phenomenal saves were critical to Italy's triumph, and he was deservedly awarded the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

At the club level with Juventus, Gianluigi Buffon had a strong season, though the club was embroiled in the Calciopoli scandal, which eventually led to their relegation.

Despite his performances at the elite level, he finished second in the Ballon d'Or voting, losing out to his World Cup-winning captain, Fabio Cannavaro.