🏆 2021 Ballon d’or Ceremony and Award Night

[Samuel]

Lionel Messi will present the Ballon d’Or to PSG fans at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday despite missing training today due to illness

[Samuel]

Your Ballon d’Or winners in a world without Messi and Ronaldo

[Jay]

The Manchester United star commented ‘facts’ under a post which described Messi’s win as ‘Theft. Dirt. Shame. Simply regrettable’

Does this reaction to a fan’s disparaging comment suit Ronaldo?

I think accepting defeat with humility is a characteristic of greatness.

[Jay]

How is the Ballon d’Or winner decided?

To begin with, French weekly publication France Football decides on a 30-player shortlist. Then they invite top journalists of the world, each of whom nominates the best five players, in his/her opinion. The top player is awarded six points, while the next four are awarded four, three, two and one respectively.

The total points collected by each player decides the eventual winner.

There are three basic criteria that the selection panel is looking at. First, individual as well as collective performances. These focus on titles won with their respective club and/or country. Secondly, the jury focuses on the talent of the player and whether that player is a proponent of fair play in the world of football. Thirdly, they look at the overall career of the player.

[Hemant]

How was Messi awarded his seventh Ballon d’Or?

It all came down to the Copa America. Messi had suffered several near misses on the international stage. Losing the 2014 World Cup final against Germany in Brazil, and reaching three Copa America finals only to fall at the last hurdle, had become the narrative of his international career.

This was until 2021 when he finally won the Copa America by beating Brazil in Brazil. Messi was adjudged the player of the tournament for his four goals. He ended the season with 41 goals and 17 assists, and that was considered enough for the Argentine to take away his seventh Ballon d’Or crown and essentially cement his spot as the greatest modern-day footballer. He also won the Copa del Rey for Barcelona and took the Catalans to third position in La Liga.

[Samuel]

This comment from Cristiano Ronaldo’s Instagram account on a post claiming Lionel Messi ‘robbed’ the Ballon d’Or award

[Samuel]

Zlatan has his say on the Ballon d’Or debate

[Samuel]

“They said Messi couldn’t do it without Xavi or Iniesta”

Messi without Xavi and Iniesta in 3 years: Ballon d’ors

Ronaldo without Kroos and Modric in 4 years: Ballon d’or