What's the most controversial Balloon D'or award in football?

[Justin11]

Balloon D'or award has been running since 1956 organized by France Football Federation (FFF).  And the first player to ever win it was 'Stanley Matthews in 1956. It's been running from 1956 until this day.  2020, being exempted as the only year in which the balloon d'or  wasn't awarded to any player due to covid 19 outbreak. 

Current winner is 'L. Messi (2021) with K. Benzema tipped to land the prestigious award for 2022 edition due to his amazing performances for Real Madrid CF last season (2021/2022). 

Ever since the Balloon D'or award started in 1956, which year do you think was controversially awarded to a player? 

Your opinion is valued. 

[Yaramaki]

The ones i can still remember probably 2010 where Lionel messi won his second Ballon d'or ahead of teammates Xavi and Iniesta who just won the world cup with Spain that year. Also wesley Sneijder who won the treple with Inter milan that year and was losing finalist with the Netherlands on the world cup that year should have gotten it instead imo.

Last year was also a fluke with Messi winning it yet again instead of lewandowski.

The only real logic winner for this year would be benzema but then again logic and football awards don't always go hand in hand.

[Justin11]

41 minutes ago, Yaramaki said:

The ones i can still remember probably 2010 where Lionel messi won his second Ballon d'or ahead of teammates Xavi and Iniesta who just won the world cup with Spain that year. Also wesley Sneijder who won the treple with Inter milan that year and was losing finalist with the Netherlands on the world cup that year should have gotten it instead imo.

Last year was also a fluke with Messi winning it yet again instead of lewandowski.

The only real logic winner for this year would be benzema but then again logic and football awards don't always go hand in hand.

xD, I understand your point. I am Messi fan, and I wouldn't say, I agree much on your thoughts, but everyone has his or her own entitlement when it comes to opinion laid out. 

When it comes to individual award, it doesn't matter much about the collective, your individual performances speaks the best and Messi truly made that count. Even if he didn't perform at his best during the 2010 WC, he did very well in club level. It is understandable that Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Wesley Sneijder had amazing 2009/2010 season too, but their performances individually wasn't outstanding like football God 'Messi. Iniesta and Xavi even casted their own vote for Messi, and didn't vote for themselves, you see where the winning comes from? When one of the favourite votes for fellow favourite, it carries very high mark, that's what Xavi and Iniesta did for Messi. They just want Messi to win that one. 

Apart from 2010 balloon d'or award that was quite mixed, didn't you see any other controversial one? I think 2013 balloon d'or was controversial too, and numerous others. 

[Yaramaki]

I should start posting more into this section of the forum as there some interesting threads in here. Like i won't deny Messi and Ronaldo are arguably the best players of all time, well surely of their generarion. See this is a discussion that Is always up for debate but you can't compare football when pele or maradonna were around to current day football as like with any sport football has professionalised a lot during the course of 30 years.

What is controversial Fabio Cannavaro winning it in 2006 as the first defender? The fact Zidane only won it once, or even better Legends of the game like Jürgen Klinsmann, Raúl, Thierry Henry, Paolo Maldini and Gianluigi Buffon never won it once that is controversial imo.

For all i care imo if in 2022 Benzema doesen't win it, why not give it to Thibaut Courtois, sure i may be pro Belgium again but come on man imo he deserves it as much Benzema does.

[Justin11]

I always find your comments interesting, just as much as you want to start posting more here, I'll always be around to share the moments with you in this section of the forum.  

I won't say Thibaut Courtois wouldn't be deserving of the award, if it is given to him 'imo. But to be frank man, this award has been for attacking minded players and Benzema had a standout season, no one can take it controversially this time around. If Benzema doesn't win it, then I'll know football has entered into the world of politics where rigging is allowed. 

I'll vote Courtois second in the list, I am not bias, then Messi comes third or Vini Jr. Vini had an excellent season more than Messi in club level. But via international level, Messi dazzled well last season. You watched his 5- goal thriller against Estonia? Where he single handed down a nation '5 - goals and it ended in same scoreline. He is yet to adapt to life in French League, we'll get to see his best in this coming season, now he's been handed the number 10 jersey, and he'll be expected to have the free role just as he operated during his Barcelona days. 

I thought balloon d'or 2022 will come after the WC, but it will come before the WC kicks off in November, meaning that Benzema is the clear favourite to land the award, and he'll be the first since zenedine zidane wo since in 1998 for French players. We all know the impact of the WC when it comes to individual award like the balloon d'or, it contributes to the player's 60% chances than his performances in club level, that's why you saw the likes of 'Fabio Cannavaro, Yanshi, Ronaldo de lima nazario,  etc, winning it ahead of others in the past. Assumed Messi won the WC 2014 edition, he would have won the balloon d'or too that year, but it ended in disappointment for him in the final against Germany, coupled with his trophy-less campaign in Barcà colours. 

[killamch89]

Lionel Messi getting it over Modric a few years back when Real Madrid won the Champions League previously and Modric had won both the league and the UCL and an international tournament finalist. I can't remember if it was the Euros or World Cup while Barca didn't win anything  that season and Argentina failed miserably at the time. I like Messi but he honestly didn't deserve it at the time.

[Justin11]

42 minutes ago, killamch89 said:

Lionel Messi getting it over Modric a few years back when Real Madrid won the Champions League previously and Modric had won both the league and the UCL and an international tournament finalist. I can't remember if it was the Euros or World Cup while Barca didn't win anything  that season and Argentina failed miserably at the time. I like Messi but he honestly didn't deserve it at the time.

Make your researches well man, Messi never won the balloon d'or controversially in the expense of Luka modric. Modric won the 2018 edition due to his performances that season more especially his performances as Croatia reached the 2018 WC final. 

[Clasher]

On 7/11/2022 at 4:56 PM, Yaramaki said:

For all i care imo if in 2022 Benzema doesen't win it, why not give it to Thibaut Courtois, sure i may be pro Belgium again but come on man imo he deserves it as much Benzema does

I know Thibaut Courtois had a good season this time round but he doesn't have a match against benzema due to how benzema was able to deliver his team during the UCL and how they managed to grab the title despite having such a strong contender like Liverpool.

There cant be any controversy this year and if benzema isn't awarded the ballon d'ior then the organisers of that award needs to be probed and scrutinized. Lol