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The Ballon d'Or has been dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo this century. Both players have won the award 12 times between them. Only Luka Modric (2018) has punctuated their more than decade long duopoly that started in 2008.
However, there have been instances when it was felt that the Ballon d'Or winner was unjustified. That's because the criteria to select the winner hasn't always stayed the same.
Ballon d'Or would have been fun if it could have been won only once
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record seven times. It is not easy to achieve such a feat. Despite his wins, sometimes it has been felt that his competitors didn't deserve to lose either.
Ten players in the history of the Ballon d'Or have won the award more than once. That makes one wonder what the winning list would be if a player is only eligible to win it once.
On that note, here's a a look at ten players who could have won the Ballon d'Or award in the last ten years:
#10 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich - 2021)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ballon d'Or was not awarded to any player last year. That year, Robert Lewandowski did a phenomenal job with Bayern Munich and Poland.
He scored 41 goals in the Bundesliga in the 2020-21 season, and so far this season, he has scored 16 goals. The Polish striker is a massive threat in front of goal. He has been one of the most consistent strikers in the game for the past few years.
Despite having a wonderful time in 2021, Lewandowski ended up second in the 2021 Ballon d'Or, losing to Lionel Messi by 33 points. Given his performances in the past few seasons, the Bayern Munich striker deserved the Ballon d'Or, especially in the last two years.
#9 Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool - 2019)
One of the major reasons behind Liverpool's success is the presence of Virgil van Dijk. The Dutch defender was on the radar of The Reds for a long time before he signed for them in 2018.
The former Southampton centre-back is aggressive, tactful and very smart with his defending. His aerial abilities combined with his sharpness make him a very strong defender. His performances in the 2018-19 season helped Liverpool win the UEFA Champions League after they were the runner-ups in the previous season.
Even in the Premier League, the Dutchman looked very solid at the back, helping Liverpool win the 2019-20 edition of the competition. Virgil van Dijk was touted to win the 2019 Ballon d'Or, but was beaten by Messi by only seven points.
If not for Messi, the 30-year old defender would have comfortably won the award that year. That's because the next player in the rankings was more than 200 points behind Van Dijk.
#8 Luka Modric (Real Madrid - 2018)
Luka Modric has been an amazing player for Real Madrid. With his tenacious and relentless approach on the pitch, the Croatian midfielder has been a massive asset for Los Blancos.
The former Spurs man has won a lot of accolades with Real Madrid. After winning the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League, he took Croatia to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which impressed many.
Croatia ended up as the runners-up to France, but Modric had done enough to win the Ballon d'Or. He remains the only player on the list to have actually won the award. He's the first player other than Ronaldo or Messi to win it since Kaka in 2007.
#7 Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus - 2017)
The Ballon d'Or has seldom seen goalkeepers win the award. In fact, Lev Yashin remains the only goalkeeper to have won the award. He did so in 1963 while playing for Dynamo Moscow.
The 2017 Ballon d'Or saw Cristiano Ronaldo win the award for the fifth time. There was no doubt about his credentials that year, given his fabulous performances for Real Madrid. He was so good that the Ballon d'Or rankings saw Lionel Messi finish second with a difference of more than 250 points.
Gianluigi Buffon also fared well for Juventus that year, helping them win Serie A and end up as runners-up in the UEFA Champions League. He eventually finished fourth in the 2017 Ballon d'Or rankings, behind Ronaldo and Messi.
#6 Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid - 2016)
Antoine Griezmann impressed during his first spell with Atletico Madrid. The French attacker's ability to play in different positions came in very handy for the Rojiblancos.
He was a key player for Atletico and the French national team in 2016. Griezmann played a key role in Euro 2016, where France ended up as the runner-up. Atletico Madrid did well in the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League, where they lost to Real Madrid in the final on penalties. Antoine Griezmann played an instrumental role in that campaign, scoring seven goals. But he did miss his penalty in the final.
The 2016 Ballon d'Or, though, clearly belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo, given his terrific performances for Real Madrid. Antoine Griezmann ended up third, with Lionel Messi finishing second.
#5 Neymar (Barcelona - 2015)
Neymar was probably at his best when he was playing for Barcelona. The trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez wreaked havoc in attack for the Blaugrana.
With some world-class players around him, Neymar did amazingly well on the pitch. He was part of Barcelona's continental treble-winning squad in the 2015-16 season.
His superb performances earned him a third-place finish in the 2015 Ballon d'Or rankings, behind winner Lionel Messi and runner-up Cristiano Ronaldo.
#4 Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich - 2014)
Manuel Neuer is arguably one of the best players of his generation, giving a new dimension to the sweeper-keeper role.
The Bayern Munich goalkeeper has been a consistent performer for the club since he joined them in 2011. He helped the Bavarian giants win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in the 2013-14 season. Manuel Neuer's role was also key in helping Germany win the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The German goalkeeper eventually finished third in the 2014 Ballon d'Or rankings, with Ronaldo and Messi ending ahead of him.
#3 Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich - 2013)
The Ballon d'Or has been won by a few French players, but none has done so this century. Thierry Henry, Antoine Griezmann and Franck Ribery are the only French players who have come close to winning the Ballon d'Or in the 21st century.
Franck Ribery had a legendary stint with Bayern Munich before he moved to Fiorentina in 2019. With his mind-boggling dribbling and amazing creative abilities, it was very difficult to contain the Frenchman. With ten goals and 14 assists in the 2012-13 season, he helped the Bavarian giants win the Bundesliga.
He also won the DFB Pokal and the UEFA Champions League the same season, completing the treble with Bayern Munich. However, Ribery only finished third in the 2013 Ballon d'Or rankings, finishing behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
#2 Radamel Falcao (Atletico Madrid - 2012)
Radamel Falcao played for Atletico Madrid for only two seasons, but he had a prolific goal-rich stint with them. The Colombian striker had joined them in 2011 after an impressive spell at Porto.
In his two seasons with Atletico, he scored 52 goals in 68 La Liga appearances. Even in the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League, Falcao was phenomenal, netting 12 times in 15 appearances. That played a key role in the Rojiblancos winning the tournament.
Falcao finished fifth in the 2012 Ballon d'Or, finishing well behind winner Lionel Messi. Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta and Xavi also finished above the Colombian.
#1 Xavi (Barcelona - 2011)
Xavi is arguably one of the best central midfielders of his generation. With his vision, incisive passing and creative abilities, the Spanish midfielder was a key player for Barcelona.
The pair of Xavi and Andres Iniesta in midfield was a nightmare for opposition defences. Xavi liked to dictate terms with his technical skills and metronomic ability to pick out his teammates. His accurate passing and playmaking abilities made him a huge threat.
The Spanish midfielder helped Barcelona win La Liga and the UEFA Champions League in the 2010-11 season. His contributions earned him a third-place finish in the 2011 Ballon d'Or. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo finished ahead of him.
