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Football fans around the world are counting the days to 29th November when the Ballon d'Or winner will be announced. The 30-player shortlist was announced on 8th October and it has been acknowledged that this is a race wide open. As always, Lionel Messi is among the favorites to take home the award.
He will be closely challenged by Robert Lewandowski. The Pole broke Gerd Muller's record for most goals in a single Bundesliga season (40) last campaign and would have been crowned winner of the award in 2020. But the COVID-pandemic took the award away from him.
Champions League winners Chelsea have two midfielders among their ranks who present a strong contendership for the Ballon d'Or. There has been great hype around Jorginho and N'Golo Kante but it remains to be seen if they will make the podium. Notably, Jorginho was also a pivotal figure for Roberto Mancini's side as they lifted the Euro 2020 trophy at Wembley.
Some great midfielders surprisingly never finished on the Ballon d'Or podium
It would be great to see a midfielder grab the honor if that were the case because only four midfielders in the 21st century have won the Ballon d'Or so far. Midfielders act as the engine for a football team, facilitating the seamless transition from defense to attack. They also form a cushion to the rearguard when the game calls for it.
Astonishingly, some very decorated and highly-rated midfielders have missed out on the Ballon d'Or. In fact, many did not even make the cut to the final three and that would be the only shortcoming in their careers when fans look back at it years from now.
On that note, let's look at the five greatest midfielders who did not make the Ballon d'Or podium even once in their career:
Disclaimer: The list only considers midfielders who were actively involved in the 21st century
#5 Andrea Pirlo
If there was ever something like a "dead-ball specialist" then Andrea Pirlo is the closest that one could come to the definition. He should have been given a podium finish in the Ballon d'Or just for the beautiful montage his free-kicks would make. Jokes aside, Pirlo's brilliance was not restricted to shooting mad goals.
The Italian was nothing short of artistic, pulling the strings from midfield. There wasn't a pass that you could spot and he couldn't pick, in fact he could pick passes one wouldn't even have thought of at first.
He did all the talking with his feet and despite not being the most imposing figure, he could wriggle out of pressure without any haste. He played between the lines, went strolling around the pitch and popped up in the most decisive situations and positions.
Be it AC Milan, Juventus or Italy, it did not matter which jersey Pirlo wore, he was always dazzling in midfield, a sure-shot standout. The deep-lying midfielder made a total of 756 appearances in his esteemed career, claiming 125 assists and 73 goals.
The Ballon d'Or remained absent from his CV, though he would take the World Cup medal any day over the former. At club level, he won six Serie A titles, the Champions League twice and Coppa Italia.
#4 Patrick Vieira
The France international deserved the Ballon d'Or from Arsenal's mighty "Invincible" side as much as any other player in the squad, if not more. There was no way Patrick Vieira was going to win the Ballon d'Or based on the number of goals he scored or the assists he made.
The Arsenal captain deserved the honor for the colossal leader he was in a star-studded Gunners squad. The way he embodied the sheer spirit and soul of the club was beyond the Ballon d'Or's acknowledgement perimeter. Vieira had won enough in his career to show that a podium finish would be deserved.
From his stack of 21 trophies, the Frenchman won 15 titles in the 21st century. On more than one occasion he seemed like a deserving candidate to go deep into the Ballon d'Or race. Vieira had one of the most ruthless tackles in football. He was an imposing midfielder both with and without the ball at his feet.
When given the license to roam free, he caused chaos in the opposition camp. The former Arsenal player made 656 appearances in his career, featuring for the likes of Manchester City and Inter Milan, before retiring.
#3 Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos last made the Ballon d'Or 30-player shortlist in 2017 but it is criminal to know how little of individual praise he receives. Not only is he gifted with sniper-like vision but the actual ability to help the ball travel the distance between any two points on the pitch.
Kroos might be the most graceful and elegant pass maker in football this century and one can watch a showreel of his passing on loop. He is so often setting up the assist maker who sets up the goal.
The German has played a major chunk of his career as a No.8 and even while staying deep he can bypass the midfield at will. Dutch legend and three-time Ballon d'Or winner Johan Cruyff once said that Kroos "sees everything" there is to see on a football pitch.
The German is not the fastest or the most physical player but his quick decision making and masterful distribution is phenomenal. He sets the tempo of the game for his side time and again.
The midfielder is among the best to deliver a set-piece in football. He loves curling and gliding the ball with his right foot and in his sublime manner has been ruling the midfield. Even though the Ballon d'Or eludes him he is not shy of trophies.
The 2014 World Cup winner boasts three Bundesliga titles, two La Liga titles and four Champions League medals. Kroos' pass accuracy has never dropped below 92 per cent for Los Blancos in La Liga. He is full of creativity and in the past five seasons at Real Madrid, no player has made more chances than their No.8.
What more should the 31-year old have done or won to finish in the top-three of the Ballon d'Or?
#2 Paul Scholes
Being adjudged the most complete midfielder to ever play in the Premier League was not enough for Paul Scholes to enter the top-three of the Ballon d'Or. The ginger prince was a true genius of the game and there wasn't one aspect from the midfielder's textbook that he lacked.
In fact, he delivered more than there was ever written about the role. Scholes was the most decorated English player, having won 25 trophies with Manchester United. Yet, it would seem that the individual honor of the Ballon d'Or was somehow too sacred for the midfielder.
The Englishman could play as an advanced attacking midfielder as well as a deep-lying playmaker. Mentality, vision, touch, class, poise, Scholes had it all and in abundance. To give a perspective of Scholes' greatness, here is a quote from Xavi, a three-time Ballon d'Or podium finisher:
"In the last 15-20 years, the best central midfielder that I have seen - the most complete - is Scholes. He is a spectacular player who has everything. If he had been Spanish, then maybe he would have been valued more."
He won 11 Premier League titles with Manchester United, two Champions League titles and three FA Cups. Honestly, the joke is on whoever that decided to never consider Scholes for the Ballon d'Or podium.
#1 Ryan Giggs
There is only one man who boasts more Premier League medals than Paul Scholes and that is his team-mate Ryan Giggs, a record of 13. Yet Giggs will feel he was robbed, never being acknowledged with even a top-three Ballon d'Or finish, let alone winning the honor.
Giggsy was, in every manner, a symbol of consistency and loyalty. He mastered the art of scoring from wider areas and continued to put his killer instincts to the best of their use. When he wrong-footed a defender from that left flank, everyone knew Giggs was off to pick up an assist or get on the scoresheet.
The fact that he was able to sustain himself at the top level for nearly 20 years was just exemplary longetivity. Ballon d'Or winner Luis Figo had this to say about the Red Devils legend:
"He has the most talent than any other football player. He is delicate and dynamic. He is the player chosen by God."
As far as winning accolades were concerned, the Welsh international won it all with Manchester United. He won a grand total of 36 trophies in his entire career that included the famous European treble of 1998-99. Giggs registered a total of 250 assists in his career, of which 162 in the Premier League is a record. It is truly a shame that the Welshman's CV will never have a Ballon d'Or to reflect on.
