10 deserving Ballon d'Or winners of the last decade if players were eligible to win only once
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.
Robert Lewandowski in 2020: 47 goals in 44 matches
Robert Lewandowski in 2021: 64 goals in 54 matches
NO BALLON D'OR EITHER YEAR! JUSTICE FOR LEWANDOWSKI!! https://t.co/HneEmwt3oI
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.
The Ballon d’Or returns on Monday.
The last men’s award, Messi vs. Van Dijk, was the closest race this century so far 🍿 https://t.co/t6RMSydoWC
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.