Ballon d'Or drama looms in London as past snubs fuel debate
This Monday evening the Ballon d'Or ceremony will be broadcast live from London, and with no clear favourite the award is set to spark conversation around the world. The event arrives against a backdrop of high‑profile disputes that have long haunted the trophy’s reputation.
Haaland’s 2023 snub
Erling Haaland finished the 2023 season with Manchester City by scoring 52 goals in 53 matches, helping the club secure a historic treble that included a Champions League triumph. Despite those figures, Lionel Messi claimed the Ballon d'Or, finishing more than 100 votes ahead of the Norwegian striker.
Real Madrid’s 2024 boycott
Rodri’s 2024 win sparked outrage at Real Madrid, where Vinícius Jr. had been the pre‑match favourite after a stellar Champions League campaign. The Madrid delegation walked out of the ceremony hours before the presentation and repeated the boycott the following year, although they are expected to return for Monday’s event.
Deadline drama and missed awards
The 2013 edition saw the voting period extended to include the 2014 World Cup play‑offs, allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to score four goals against Sweden and edge out both Lionel Messi and Franck Ribéry. Critics argued the change tipped the balance in Ronaldo’s favour.
In 2020 the award was not presented at all because of the COVID‑19 pandemic, leaving Robert Lewandowski, who had delivered an exceptional season and a treble with Bayern Munich, without the honour he seemed destined to win.
Real Madrid’s belief fuels Mbappe’s Ballon d’Or hopes in London
When Lionel Messi accepted his seventh Ballon d'Or the following year, he publicly acknowledged that Lewandowski should have taken the prize in 2020, underscoring the lingering sense of injustice.
Wesley Sneijder’s 2010 campaign with Inter Milan produced a Champions League title and a World Cup final appearance for the Netherlands, yet he finished only fourth behind Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi, a result still cited as a major anomaly.
Thierry Henry ended 2003 as runner‑up to Pavel Nedvěd despite a historic Arsenal season that saw him become the first Premier League player to record more than 20 goals and 20 assists in a single campaign.
Beyond the historic grievances, the current shortlist features Kylian Mbappé, who recently gave a flamboyant interview with France Football proclaiming himself the “top scorer of all time at the World Cup”. In Dutch the article refers to the “De Gouden Bal”, highlighting the commercial weight of the trophy for clubs and sponsors alike.