Were Messi’s Ballon d’Or wins unfair? FourFourTwo ranks biggest injustices in award’s history

Tehran - BORNA - The list highlights Polish striker Robert Lewandowski — then at Bayern Munich and now at Barcelona — as the most deserving player to have missed out. Analysts argue that his record-breaking 2021 season should have secured him the award ahead of Lionel Messi.

In second place, Arsenal and Barcelona legend Thierry Henry was cited for 2003, when many felt he was more deserving than Czech midfielder Pavel Nedvěd, who ultimately claimed the trophy.

The ranking also recalls 2010, when Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or again, but FourFourTwo contends that Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder, after leading Inter Milan to a historic treble and inspiring the Netherlands’ World Cup run, should have been the rightful winner.

The feature also pointed to Paris Saint-Germain’s historic treble under Luis Enrique, powered by Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, and Gianluigi Donnarumma. At the latest Ballon d’Or ceremony, PSG collected multiple honors: Dembélé won the Ballon d’Or itself, Enrique was named Best Coach, and Donnarumma received the Best Goalkeeper award.

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