5 Ballon d'Or nominees from obscure nations in the 21st century
Considered to be the pinnacle of a footballer's career, the Ballon d'Or is arguably the most prestigious individual award in the sport. While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have exclusively dominated the podium for the last decade, a number of players have claimed the title for themselves in the past.
Ballon d'Or winners and their heritage
If we were to count the Czech Republic and its predecessor Czechoslovakia as a single country, we would get Ballon d'Or winners from as many as 19 countries. Predictably though, this count is severely concentrated in a select group of countries.
In 2009, Lionel Messi at the age of 22 won the Ballon d'Or in the biggest landslide in football history.
98.54% of journalists voted him as the best. https://t.co/nX7LX97Cko
The usual suspects Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal have been represented the most number of times on the Ballon d'Or stage, with each nation being credited with seven wins. Lionel Messi is the only Argentine to have won the golden ball, granting his country six Ballon d'Or wins. Despite their glittering roster of talents, Luis Suarez was the last Spanish player to win the Ballon d'Or back in 1960.
With the idea of distributing the prize evenly, players from all four corners of the earth are nominated for the initial 30-man shortlist. On that note, let's take a look at five Ballon d'Or nominees from the 21st century who hail from the most unlikely of footballing countries:
#5 Jan Oblak (Slovenia)
Despite his consistent showings, 2017 was the first time Jan Oblak made it onto the preliminary Ballon d'Or shortlist. Coming from the lesser-known nation of Slovenia, Oblak has successfully climbed up the ladder due to sheer commitment and hard work.
Currently occupying a lowly 64th place in FIFA's official rankings, Slovenia are yet to produce any Ballon d'Or winners from their national setup. Oblak is undoubtedly one of the best players to have come from the European nation. However, a 25th place finish in the 2018 Ballon d'Or rankings is the best position the 6ft 2in shot-stopper has been able to procure so far.
Jan Oblak has conceded 3 hat-tricks during his entire time with Atletico Madrid 🤯
All 3 scored by Cristiano Ronaldo 😬 https://t.co/PT49ms7XPu
Aged 28, the Slovenian international is still in prime condition, with goalkeepers generally stretching their peak years beyond the 30s. Having sworn his allegiance to Atletico Madrid until 2023, Oblak is currently enjoying his eighth season with Los Rojiblancos. If he is able to maintain his current form, Oblak could potentially secure a higher finish in future Ballon d'Or listings.
#4 Frédéric Kanouté (Mali)
Widely known for his seven-year stint at Sevilla, Frédéric Kanouté began his career at Lyon. Born in France to Malian parents, the sturdy forward even played for the national U21 squad, making six appearances that bore a solitary goal. However, he switched loyalties to Mali as soon as FIFA updated its international rules in 2004.
Mali is the eighth-largest country in the densely populated continent of Africa. Yet it has had minimal representation on the footballing front. Subsequently, the nation only has a few Ballon d'Or nominations to show for its involvement in the sport. At the time of writing, Mali is ranked 61st in FIFA's latest rankings for men's football.
Happy birthday Freddie Kanouté! 🇲🇱
🏆🏆 Copa del Rey
🏆🏆 UEFA Cup
🏆 Supercopa
🏆 Super Cup
African Footballer of the Year 2007. 👊 https://t.co/wI92XVkLW5
Kanouté on the other hand, was a fan favorite at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán between 2005-2012. Coming from Tottenham, the 38-time capped Malian international scored 131 goals in 284 appearances for the Andalusians. His exceptional showings in 2007 saw him bag the African Footballer of the Year award, along with an 11th place finish in the Ballon d'Or rankings.
Also read: 5 world-class forwards yet to score in the 2021-22 season