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The past 10 years have seen Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo winning 5 Ballon d'Ors each. The last winner of the award that didn't play for either FC Barcelona or Real Madrid was A.C. Milan and Brazilian playmaker Kaka. Even in 2007, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo saw themselves nestling in the top three.
After that year, both men have been at the top of the football ladder. Messi has been part of the top 3 ever since, with Ronaldo missing out the year Iniesta and Xavi helped Spain win the World Cup in 2010. So, if these two men didn't dominate world football, who would have been able to snatch the top prize? Let's find out:
Honourable Mentions: Zlatan Ibrahimovic: 2013/14, Luis Suarez: 2015/16
#5 Wesley Sneijder: 2010
Winner: Lionel Messi
Wesley Sneijder is the perfect example of a player that excelled at the top level for only a few years. After failing to impress at Real Madrid, the Spanish side sold Sneijder for a 12 million loss to Italian champions Internazionale. This was going to be Portuguese manager, Jose Mourinho's second season at the club. He had lost his star player Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Barcelona, and had to rely on ageing forwards like Diego Milito and Samuel Eto'o.
The perfect link to these strikers was provided by Wesley Sneijder. Even though people had not hyped him up for greatness in Inter Milan, Sneijder became the best player for them in a historic treble-winning campaign. After this, Sneijder spearheaded Netherlands into the FIFA World Cup final, where they lost to the Spanish.
Sneijder was voted into multiple lists as the best midfielder in the world for that season, but he happened to finish 4th in the Ballon d'Or standings behind the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi. This is considered to be one of the greatest injustices in Ballon d'Or history, and bears a mention here. Sneijder should and could have been the winner in the 2009/10 Ballon d'Or award ceremony.
#4 Fernando Torres: 2008
Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo
El Nino was firing on all cylinders while playing for Liverpool in the mid-2000s. Even though he has not recreated that form since 2010, Torres is still one of the most fondly remembered players in the history of the Premier League. In an era where Liverpool were fast declining, Torres was in the form of his life, making it into the FIFPro World Team of the Year and the PFA Team of the Year.
2008 saw Torres lift the UEFA Euro with his Spanish brethren, being nominated to the Team of the Tournament, as well as winning the Man of the Match in the final against Germany. He had also scored 36 goals in a mere 53 appearances in the 2007/08 season, which would be his final season providing at such a rate, with his contribution dropping to just 17 goals in 39 appearances the following season.
#3 Franck Ribery: 2013
Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo
Franck Ribery had pipped Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi earlier that year to win the UEFA Player of the Year, but finished third in the voting for the Ballon d'Or. Even though that may have been a travesty according to many people, everyone agrees that Ribery was one of the best players in the world that season. Bayern Munich won the treble that year, and Ribery was one of the most crucial parts of that achievement.
Ribery had a phenomenal season prior to that. Even though 11 goals may not be a large contribution, Ribery made up for that with a ginormous 23 assists, making it a contribution of 34 in just 43 appearances. While Ribery won the treble, the winner of the Ballon d'Or that year, Cristiano Ronaldo had failed to even win the Spanish La Liga. Ribery would have definitely been a winner without the nomination of Messi or Ronaldo.
#2 Andres Iniesta: 2010 or 2012
Winner: Lionel Messi for both years
Andres Iniesta is one of the best midfielders to lace up a pair of football shoes. His contributions to the game of football are unparalleled and Barcelona will definitely miss the presence of the midfield general this season. Iniesta, in both 2010 and 2012, had tremendous seasons. 2010 saw him lead his Spanish team to a World Cup triumph and 2012 saw him do the same, but this time it being a Euro victory. Barcelona won the league in 2010.
Andres Iniesta won the UEFA Best Player and Player of the Tournament (Euro) in 2012. He appeared in the FIFA FIFPro XI both the years and did the same with the UEFA Team of the Year. Even though he had modest contributions, with him contributing to just 10 goals in 2010 and 21 in 2012, his presence and playmaking abilities make him one of the most fondly remembered players who should have been graced with the award of best player in the world at least once.
#1 Xavi: 2009 and 2011
Winner: Lionel Messi for both years
Xavi Hernandez is probably the greatest player to have never been given a prestigious individual award like the Ballon d'Or or FIFA Best Player of the Year. It speaks volumes about the ability of Ronaldo and Messi that someone like Xavi has not won the prestigious trophy. Xavi had won the treble with Barcelona in 2009, and 2011 saw him be one of the most unstoppable creative forces in midfield. These nominations come sandwiched between all his international triumphs with Spain.
Xavi's best shot came in 2009, as he was the top assist provider in the Champions League as well as the La Liga, along with him winning UEFA Midfielder of the Year that year. In 2011 he finished second in UEFA Player of the Year, but ended up in third place for the Ballon d'Or. Xavi had a mammoth 10 goals and 30 assists in the 2008/09 season, and an impressive 14 goals and 16 assists in 2010/11. It will always be a disservice to a player of Xavi's caliber for not having won this prize.
