Ranking the 5 greatest defenders who made the Ballon d'Or podium but failed to win
The Ballon d'Or is back among the headlines once again. With the release of the 30-man shortlist, the race is wide open. Lionel Messi is in the running for his seventh honor and is being regarded as a favorite to take the trophy home, but there could be a surprise nonetheless.
Since its inception in 1956, the Ballon d'Or has been seen as a trademark of greatness. It is the biggest individual honor conferred on footballers. Of course that is a statement which might divide opinion but there is no doubt that fans continue to go gaga over Ballon d'Or.
Goals win you games and goals win you titles, but for every man who scores one, there is one who tries to stop one (without the gloves). However, the award usually favors those born to score goals and sometimes those that facilitate the scoring of goals from the middle of the park. Defenders, meanwhile, are almost always overlooked.
Several great defenders have narrowly missed out on the Ballon d'Or
The game has certainly been unfair to defenders in terms of personal accolades and it is said that sometimes great names have come very close to these awards. Here are the five greatest defenders who made it into the top three of the Ballon d'Or but failed to win it in the end:
#5 Roberto Carlos
An idol to many modern full-backs, there weren't many who could kick a ball as ferociously as Roberto Carlos. The Brazilian made the Ballon d'Or podium once in his lifetime in 2002. He finished second as he saw fellow countryman and Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo Nazario win the honor for a second time.
Undoubtedly, the 2001-02 campaign was the Brazilian's best of his career as he won the FIFA World Cup with Brazil and his third UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid. Carlos started 31 games for Real Madrid in the Spanish top-flight that season and scored on three occasions. He provided five assists each in La Liga and the Champions League.
A timely reminder that Roberto Carlos did this at Soccer Aid and he walked off like it was nothing. Ridiculous
https://t.co/6JLnzq59Xl
The left-back was dangerously skilled in dead-ball situations. The internet is crowded with Carlos' incredible free kicks, the most notable of them being his 1997 free-kick from almost 30 yards away against France. If FIFA had started giving the Puskas award in 1990s, there was no way they'd let this gem miss out.
For a man who needed science to explain his goals, it is truly sad to see how closely the Ballon d'Or eluded Carlos.
#4 Giacinto Facchetti
It is often said that the great generation of Italy's defenders is a dying breed in today's day and age. So we roll back the clock to 1960s where one Giacinto Facchetti, way ahead of his time, was defying the norms. He crushed stereotypes of traditional Italian defending by providing the entertainment desired by modern full-backs.
Facchetti emerged as the runner-up to the 1965 Ballon d'Or after finishing behind Eusébio, considered the greatest player to ever don a Benfica jersey. He dedicated his 18 years of service in football to Inter Milan, a one-club man like so many from his age, especially in Italy.
🔙 | ON THIS DAY
#OTD in 1976, Giacinto Facchetti, a one-club man and true Inter icon, scored his 59th and final league goal for the Nerazzurri against Sampdoria ⚽🖤💙
#ForzaInter https://t.co/2agwFX6EEv
A full-back with Facchetti's attributes was a rare sight. His pace and willingness to join in the final third, his ability to provide cutting edge passes and his physique were an unbeatable package. The adventurous Ballon d'Or runner-up scored 75 goals in over 600 appearances for the Nerazzurri.
It was in those days that Inter became the "Grande Inter" and dominated world football and at the center of it all was an unpredictable, highly effective and bullyish Facchetti.
It's safe to say Fachetti was really unlucky to have not won the Ballon d'Or during his career.