Every player who would’ve won the Ballon d’Or if Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo never existed

In the event that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had never been born, the following is a list of every player who would have been awarded the Ballon d’Or.

Since the year 2008, Messi and Ronaldo have been in a position to secure the prestigious Ballon d’Or award almost exclusively.

There are a total of thirteen prizes that they have won between them, with Messi coming out on top 8-5 over Ronaldo.

In 2023, the Argentine player triumphed over Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to collect the individual award for the Ballon d’Or, which he had previously won eight times.

It was in 2017 that the former Manchester United player triumphed over Messi and Neymar to take home the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. This was his final victory in the competition.

On the other hand, if Messi and Ronaldo had never been born, then players like Haaland and Neymar would have been able to claim the Ballon d’Or.

The fact that Neymar has never been awarded the Ballon d’Or means that he would have two titles next to his name if he were to win.

If Messi and Ronaldo had never been born, every player who would have been a candidate for the Ballon d’Or today
During the year 2008, Messi and Ronaldo competed against one another for the award, which marked the beginning of their dominance.

The fact that Fernando Torres finished third in 2008 indicates that he would have been the recipient of the award. In the 2007–2008 season, Torres scored 33 goals for Liverpool while playing in 46 games.

Xavi and Andres Iniesta, two of Barcelona’s most legendary players, would take turns winning the Ballon d’Or between the years 2009 and 2012.

Both Franck Ribery and Manuel Neuer would have been crowned winners of the Ballon d’Or in 2013. Manuel Neuer would have been the first custodian to win the coveted award since Lev Yashin, who won it in 1963. Franck Ribery would have won the award in 2013, and Manuel Neuer would have won it in 2014.

In the span of three years, Neymar, who played alongside Messi at Barcelona, would have been able to win two Ballon d’Or awards.

In the event that Messi and Ronaldo did not exist, Antoine Griezmann, Virgil van Dijk, Robert Lewandowski, and Haaland would have also had the opportunity to win the Ballon d’Or.

The complete list is as follows:

2007: Fernando Torres was born.

Year 2009: Xavi

Andres Iniesta, the year 2010

2011: The Year of Xavi

Andres Iniesta, the year 2012

Franck Ribery, the year 2013

The year 2014: Manuel Neuer

As of 2015, Neymar

– Antonie Griezmann, the year 2016

As of 2017, Neymar

Virgil van Dijk, the year 2019

– Robert Lewandowski, the year 2021

Erling Haaland, the year 2023