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The most prestigious individual award in the game of football, winning the Ballon d'Or is the dream for many players.
Awarded to the player with the best performances, the Ballon d'Or has been won by some of the greatest footballers to have played the game. Ballon d'Or recipients are usually already among the best players in the world, and only the best are able to get their hands on the award.
Like any other award, there have been some upsets over the years with respect to the Ballon d'Or as well. Certain players have surprised the world by getting their hands on the award when few expected them to. Here, we look at the 5 biggest Ballon d'Or upsets of all time.
#5 Lionel Messi (2010)
Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest footballer to have played the game. He deserves all the praise and acclaim that he receives on a regular basis.
However, there have been instances in history when he has won awards that seem to defy logic. The decision to award the Argentine maestro the Ballon d'Or in 2010 was one such moment. That year, Messi helped Barcelona win La Liga, and scored 47 goals in all competitions for the club.
Wesley Sneijder, on the other hand, was Inter Milan's most important player as they won the treble that year. The Netherlands international was world-class in the 2009-10 season. He made 41 appearances in all competitions for the Nerazzurri, scoring eight goals and providing 15 assists. Sneijder should have received the Ballon d'Or for his excellent midfield displays that year.
#4 Oleg Blokhin (1975)
Oleg Blokhin is a legendary footballer who was renowned for his prolific goalscoring ability.
Blokhin spent much of his playing career representing Dynamo Kyiv. The attacker won a plethora of trophies with the club. In 1975, Blokhin helped Dynamo Kyiv win the Soviet Top League and the UEFA Cup Winners Cup. He also went on to win the Ballon d'Or that year.
The surprise here was the names of the two players who finished behind him. Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff finished second and third that season in the Ballon d'Or voting as Blokhin took home the prestigious award.
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#3 Michael Owen (2001)
One-time Ballon d'Or winner Michael Owen was a prodigious young talent who spent his best years representing boyhood club Liverpool.
Owen was adored as one of the best in the world during his spell with the Reds. The striker was technically gifted with excellent finishing ability, but his Ballon d'Or win in 2001 was upsetting to some. The England international had helped Liverpool win the League Cup, FA Cup and the UEFA Cup that year. But it was surprising to see him win the award ahead of Real Madrid's Raul.
Raul had established himself as one of the best strikers in the world during that time. The Spain international won La Liga with Real Madrid that season and scored 33 goals to boot. But both Raul and Bayern Munich legend Oliver Kahn finished behind Owen at the 2001 Ballon d'Or ceremony.
#2 Luka Modric (2018)
Luka Modric is one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, and his class and quality can never be questioned.
What can be questioned is the decision to award the midfielder the Ballon d'Or in 2018. The Croatia international had won the Champions League with Real Madrid that season and helped his country reach the final of the FIFA World Cup. However, there were some options who arguably deserved it more.
This included Modric's then-Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo was Los Blancos' most important player during their triumphant Champions League win. The Portugal international finished second behind Modric, with World Cup and Europa League winner Antoine Griezmann finishing third. Raphael Varane, who won the Champions League and World Cup, did not even make the top five.
#1 Pavel Nedved (2003)
Pavel Nedved's 2003 Ballon d'Or triumph is not remembered fondly by Arsenal fans. They had rightly been hoping for a Thierry Henry win.
It is hard to understand why Nedved won ahead of Henry. The Czech Republic international was a quality attacker who won Serie A with Juventus that season. But Henry had been simply spectacular in the same campaign. The France international was in sensational form throughout the 2002-03 season.
Henry scored 32 goals and assisted 28 in 55 matches across competitions for Arsenal that season. He also won the FA Cup with the Gunners and the 2003 Confederations Cup with France.
Yet Henry only finished second in the Ballon d'Or vote that year. AC Milan's legendary defender Paolo Maldini rounded off the top three. Nedved's victory continues to be cited often as one of the biggest upsets in Ballon d'Or history.
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