Rodri vs. Vinícius Jr.: Revisiting Ballon d’Or Controversies

The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony sparked intense debates after Manchester City’s Rodri was crowned the world’s best player ahead of Real Madrid’s Vinícius Jr. While Rodri was instrumental in Manchester City’s league triumph, many fans believe Vinícius Jr. had a stronger case, given his key role in Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League victories.

The Year in Review: 2024

• Vinícius Jr. (Real Madrid):
  • La Liga Champion: Contributed 11 goals and 9 assists, driving Real Madrid to domestic success.
  • Champions League Winner: Scored 6 goals, including a decisive goal in the semifinal against Manchester City.
  • A consistent performer who stepped up in the biggest matches.
• Rodri (Manchester City):
  • Premier League Winner: Dominated Manchester City’s midfield, key to their league success.
  • European Championship Finalist: Spain reached the final, but Rodri’s involvement was limited after an early injury.

With Vinícius achieving both domestic and European success, many argue he was the clear winner.

Not the First Controversy

The Ballon d’Or has often sparked debate, with decisions questioned by fans and analysts. Below, we explore 10 Ballon d’Or controversies and provide the top 5 players for each year, highlighting why some may have been more deserving.

1. 1996 – Matthias Sammer over Ronaldo (Brazil)

Winner: Matthias Sammer (Borussia Dortmund)
Top 5 Players in 1996:

1. Matthias Sammer (Borussia Dortmund)
2. Ronaldo (Barcelona)
3. Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers)
4. Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus)
5. Jürgen Klinsmann (Bayern Munich)

• Why Ronaldo Deserved It: Scored 47 goals in 49 games at just 20 years old, dazzling for Barcelona. Sammer’s leadership for Germany at Euro 1996 was crucial, but Ronaldo’s dominance was otherworldly.

2. 1999 – Rivaldo over Dwight Yorke

Winner: Rivaldo (Barcelona)
Top 5 Players in 1999:

1. Rivaldo (Barcelona)
2. David Beckham (Manchester United)
3. Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv/AC Milan)
4. Gabriel Batistuta (Fiorentina)
5. Roy Keane (Manchester United)

• Why Yorke Deserved It: Yorke was the top scorer in both the Premier League (18 goals) and Champions League (8 goals), leading Manchester United to a historic treble. His omission from the top 5 was a shocking oversight.

3. 2000 – Luís Figo over Zinedine Zidane

Winner: Luís Figo (Barcelona/Real Madrid)
Top 5 Players in 2000:

1. Luís Figo (Barcelona/Real Madrid)
2. Zinedine Zidane (Juventus)
3. Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan)
4. Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
5. Francesco Totti (AS Roma)

• Why Zidane Deserved It: Zidane was the Player of the Tournament at Euro 2000, orchestrating France’s triumph. Figo’s record transfer to Real Madrid overshadowed Zidane’s dominance on the international stage.

4. 2001 – Michael Owen over Raúl González

Winner: Michael Owen (Liverpool)
Top 5 Players in 2001:

1. Michael Owen (Liverpool)
2. Raúl González (Real Madrid)
3. Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich)
4. David Beckham (Manchester United)
5. Francesco Totti (AS Roma)

• Why Raúl Deserved It: Scored 32 goals, led La Liga winners Real Madrid, and was the top scorer in the Champions League. Owen’s domestic cup success with Liverpool didn’t match Raúl’s European dominance.

5. 2003 – Pavel Nedvěd over Thierry Henry

Winner: Pavel Nedvěd (Juventus)
Top 5 Players in 2003:

1. Pavel Nedvěd (Juventus)
2. Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
3. Paolo Maldini (AC Milan)
4. Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan)
5. Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid)

• Why Henry Deserved It: Scored 42 goals and provided 26 assists, including a record-breaking 20 assists in the Premier League. Nedvěd’s Champions League final run was impressive, but Henry’s all-around brilliance stood out.

6. 2004 – Andriy Shevchenko over Deco

Winner: Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan)
Top 5 Players in 2004:

1. Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan)
2. Deco (Porto/Barcelona)
3. Ronaldinho (Barcelona)
4. Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
5. Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid)

• Why Deco Deserved It: Deco was pivotal in Porto’s Champions League triumph and secured a domestic double. Shevchenko’s goalscoring was prolific, but Deco’s influence in winning major titles was greater.

7. 2010 – Lionel Messi over Wesley Sneijder

Winner: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Top 5 Players in 2010:

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
2. Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona)
3. Xavi Hernández (Barcelona)
4. Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan)
5. Diego Forlán (Atletico Madrid)

• Why Sneijder Deserved It: Sneijder won the treble with Inter Milan, reached the World Cup final with the Netherlands, and scored 5 goals in the tournament. Messi’s brilliance couldn’t overshadow Sneijder’s historic year.

8. 2013 – Cristiano Ronaldo over Franck Ribéry

Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Top 5 Players in 2013:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
3. Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich)
4. Zlatan Ibrahimović (PSG)
5. Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)

• Why Ribéry Deserved It: Ribéry led Bayern Munich to a treble, shining in all competitions. Ronaldo’s 66 goals were remarkable, but Ribéry’s impact in winning three major trophies should have sealed the award.

9. 2018 – Luka Modrić over Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah

Winner: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid)
Top 5 Players in 2018:

1. Luka Modrić (Real Madrid)
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Juventus)
3. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
4. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
5. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

• Why Salah or Ronaldo Deserved It: Modrić’s World Cup heroics were fantastic, but Salah’s 44 goals and Champions League exploits or Ronaldo’s 54 goals made a strong case.

10. 2021 – Lionel Messi over Robert Lewandowski

Winner: Lionel Messi (Barcelona/PSG)
Top 5 Players in 2021:

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona/PSG)
2. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
3. Jorginho (Chelsea)
4. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
5. N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea)

• Why Lewandowski Deserved It: Scored 69 goals and broke Gerd Müller’s Bundesliga record. Messi’s Copa América win was significant, but Lewandowski’s historic achievements were unparalleled.