Ranking the 5 greatest midfielders to have never featured on the Ballon d'Or podium
Football fans around the world are counting the days to 29th November when the Ballon d'Or winner will be announced. The 30-player shortlist was announced on 8th October and it has been acknowledged that this is a race wide open. As always, Lionel Messi is among the favorites to take home the award.
He will be closely challenged by Robert Lewandowski. The Pole broke Gerd Muller's record for most goals in a single Bundesliga season (40) last campaign and would have been crowned winner of the award in 2020. But the COVID-pandemic took the award away from him.
Champions League winners Chelsea have two midfielders among their ranks who present a strong contendership for the Ballon d'Or. There has been great hype around Jorginho and N'Golo Kante but it remains to be seen if they will make the podium. Notably, Jorginho was also a pivotal figure for Roberto Mancini's side as they lifted the Euro 2020 trophy at Wembley.
Some great midfielders surprisingly never finished on the Ballon d'Or podium
It would be great to see a midfielder grab the honor if that were the case because only four midfielders in the 21st century have won the Ballon d'Or so far. Midfielders act as the engine for a football team, facilitating the seamless transition from defense to attack. They also form a cushion to the rearguard when the game calls for it.
Astonishingly, some very decorated and highly-rated midfielders have missed out on the Ballon d'Or. In fact, many did not even make the cut to the final three and that would be the only shortcoming in their careers when fans look back at it years from now.
On that note, let's look at the five greatest midfielders who did not make the Ballon d'Or podium even once in their career:
Disclaimer: The list only considers midfielders who were actively involved in the 21st century
#5 Andrea Pirlo
If there was ever something like a "dead-ball specialist" then Andrea Pirlo is the closest that one could come to the definition. He should have been given a podium finish in the Ballon d'Or just for the beautiful montage his free-kicks would make. Jokes aside, Pirlo's brilliance was not restricted to shooting mad goals.
The Italian was nothing short of artistic, pulling the strings from midfield. There wasn't a pass that you could spot and he couldn't pick, in fact he could pick passes one wouldn't even have thought of at first.
He did all the talking with his feet and despite not being the most imposing figure, he could wriggle out of pressure without any haste. He played between the lines, went strolling around the pitch and popped up in the most decisive situations and positions.
Who wants to watch a compilation of Andrea Pirlo free-kicks? 🎯
Everyone.
https://t.co/rhshnEPpar
Be it AC Milan, Juventus or Italy, it did not matter which jersey Pirlo wore, he was always dazzling in midfield, a sure-shot standout. The deep-lying midfielder made a total of 756 appearances in his esteemed career, claiming 125 assists and 73 goals.
The Ballon d'Or remained absent from his CV, though he would take the World Cup medal any day over the former. At club level, he won six Serie A titles, the Champions League twice and Coppa Italia.
#4 Patrick Vieira
The France international deserved the Ballon d'Or from Arsenal's mighty "Invincible" side as much as any other player in the squad, if not more. There was no way Patrick Vieira was going to win the Ballon d'Or based on the number of goals he scored or the assists he made.
The Arsenal captain deserved the honor for the colossal leader he was in a star-studded Gunners squad. The way he embodied the sheer spirit and soul of the club was beyond the Ballon d'Or's acknowledgement perimeter. Vieira had won enough in his career to show that a podium finish would be deserved.
On this day in 1996, Patrick Vieira made his Arsenal debut.
The rest is powerful runs, outstanding tackles, strikes from distance and trophies. https://t.co/wF01UVB0x9
From his stack of 21 trophies, the Frenchman won 15 titles in the 21st century. On more than one occasion he seemed like a deserving candidate to go deep into the Ballon d'Or race. Vieira had one of the most ruthless tackles in football. He was an imposing midfielder both with and without the ball at his feet.
When given the license to roam free, he caused chaos in the opposition camp. The former Arsenal player made 656 appearances in his career, featuring for the likes of Manchester City and Inter Milan, before retiring.