4 players who kicked up a fuss after failing to win the Ballon d'Or
Awarded jointly by FIFA and France Football magazine, Ballon d'Or is one of the oldest and most prestigious individual accolades in the world of football. Luka Modric's Ballon d'Or win in 2018 ended a 10-year-long domination of the sought-after accolade by footballing greats, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The pair have notched up a tally of 11 Ballon D'Or titles, and while that speaks volumes of their tremendous ability, a host of world-class talents have missed out on the Ballon d'Or title over the past decade.
The likes of Robert Lewandowski and Virgil Van Dijk have gracefully accepted defeat in the Ballon d'Or race, but some footballers have publicly thrown a tantrum after failing to win football's highest individual honor. Lionel Messi has been tipped to win his seventh Ballon d'Or title this year, but the Champions League and Euros winner, Jorginho, has stated in an interview,
"If you choose (Ballon d'Or winner) based on titles, well, no-one has won more than me this season."
On that note, let's take a look at the four players who kicked up a fuss after failing to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award.
#4 Manuel Neuer
The German and Bayern Munich shot-stopper was one of the hottest contenders for the 2014 Ballon d'Or accolade. Manuel Neuer showcased excellent performances in club and international football throughout the course of the 2013-14 footballing calendar. He won the Golden Glove at the 2014 World Cup and the 2013-14 Bundesliga title.
Prior to the 2014 Ballon d'Or award ceremony, Neuer stated he wouldn't win the accolade because "I'm not some guy who poses in his underpants." This was an apparent dig at the 2014 Champions League and Copa Del Rey winner, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar would go on to win the Ballon d'Or that year with 37.66% of the total votes, while Neuer finished third in the standings with 15.72% of the votes.
In a 2014 interview with the German magazine Kicker, Neuer went on to say,
"I'm a sportsman, not an ambassador for a brand, beyond being Adidas' first goalkeeper. I don't like the red carpet. I prefer the green turf. I feel better on the pitch trying to be the best I can be."
The German shot-stopper also emphasized the fact that goalkeepers and defenders are often overlooked for individual accolades. Neuer said,
"After the games, the main things they show are goals, the chances, the assists. Spectators don't tend to remember that the keeper stopped difficult balls by taking a big risk or organised the play from the back."
Lev Yashin, often referred to as the "Black Spider," was the last goalkeeper to have won the Ballon d'Or 58 years ago in 1963.
#3 Wesley Sneijder
Former Bayern Munich and Dutch superstar Wesley Sneijder was among the big names to miss out on the prestigious Ballon d'Or accolade due to Messi-Ronaldo's domination of modern football.
Sneijder's best finish in the Ballon d'Or race was fourth place in the 2010 award ceremony, where he finished behind Messi, Ronaldo, and Xavi. The Dutchman enjoyed one of his best seasons in professional football with club and country in 2009-10, winning the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia with Inter Milan. Sneijder was also a mainstay in the Netherlands' side, scoring five goals in their magical run to the 2014 World Cup finals.
Often regarded as one of the finest playmakers in modern football, Sneijder said in a recent interview,
"If I would have lived 100% for my sport, I would have joined the list of Cristiano & Messi. I know that. But I didn't want to, and I don't regret that. It's not like I couldn't do it, I just didn't want to. If you look at Cristiano, he will stand behind the ball 30 times and won't score 1. Then I think to myself, how?"
In a later interview, Sneijder also alluded to his somewhat indulgent lifestyle.
"I enjoyed my life, maybe I had a glass [of wine] at dinner. Leo and Cristiano are different, they have made many sacrifices."