“That’s just an individual accolade” - When Arjen Robben made feelings clear about 2014 Ballon d'Or battle with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Back in 2014, Netherlands legend Arjen Robben made his feelings clear about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo going head to head for the Ballon d'Or award that year. In an interview with France Football, the former winger spoke about the two legendary players.
Notably, Robben was in brilliant form throughout 2014. He led Bayern Munich to win the domestic double with 11 goals and six assists in 28 Bundesliga games, alongside four goals and five assists in five DFB Pokal games. In the World Cup, he led the Netherlands to a third place finish, scoring three goals and providing as many assists across seven games.
However, he was not in contention for the Ballon d'Or in 2014. On the contrary, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were seen as the players with the biggest chance of winning, and Robben agreed with this.
The Bayern Munich legend said to France Football (via ESPN):
"Cristiano and Lionel are two monsters. What they've been doing for six years now is unmatched. They are superior to everyone else.”
Robben's brilliance did not go unrecognized though, with the winger also speaking about making FIFA's 23-man shortlist that year.
"The recognition is nice and I am proud to be on the list, but I have never been obsessed about it. That's just an individual accolade. And for me, only trophies with the team count," he added.
The 2013-14 season saw Lionel Messi score 41 goals and provide 14 assists in 46 games across all competitions. However, Barcelona, his club at the time, only won the Supercopa de Espana, failing to win La Liga, the Copa del Rey, or the UEFA Champions League.
The same season saw Cristiano Ronaldo score 51 goals and provide 17 assists in 47 games across all competitions. Despite his then-club Real Madrid coming third in La Liga, they won the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
On January 12, 2015, Ronaldo won the 2014 Ballon d'Or with 37.66% of votes, while Messi came second with 15.76%.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both miss out on Ballon d'Or 2024 for the first time since 2003
The list of nominees for the 2024 Ballon d'Or award was released in September. For the first time since 2003, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo made the cut. For many fans, it will mark the end of an era that saw the dominion of the two superstars in the world of football.
Messi notably won the prestigious award eight times, while Ronaldo clinched it on five occasions. The Golden Ball was shared between the two players an unprecedented 13 times.
Now, both superstars have left Europe, with Messi playing for Inter Miami in the USA and Ronaldo representing Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. However, both of them have been in excellent form with Messi recording 19 goals and 12 assists in 21 games and Ronaldo netting eight goals and providing three assists in nine outings.