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The Ballon d'Or is the highest achievement for an individual player in football. It is an award that has historically rewarded players who provide their teams with a large number of direct goal contributions. Naturally, this means that a majority of the time, this award went to an attacker.
However, once in a while you will see a player from the middle of the park win Ballon d'Or as well. The performances by these midfielders are so consistently stellar that not even attackers who regularly score goals are able to compete with them.
In the 21st century, we have seen this happen four times. So on that note, let's take a look at
4 midfielders to win the Ballon d'Or in the 21st century
#4 Pavel Nedved
Pavel Nedved was a wide midfielder who dominated the Serie A for more than a decade. He won the Ballon d'Or in 2003 with Juventus, helping them confidently secure the Serie A title and driving them to the Champions League final.
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After establishing himself as a talented player with Lazio, the Czech midfielder was signed by Juventus in 2001 as a replacement for the outgoing Zinedine Zidane. He possessed the brilliant ability to create chances for his teammates through pin-point crosses from the left. He was also able to cut inside and score with his weaker foot.
Nedved quickly filled Zidane's boots, averaging 0.75 goal contributions in his first two seasons at Juventus, helping them secure back-to-back domestic titles.
He ended his career with 196 goal contributions in 554 appearances in club football. He secured four domestic league titles and three appearances in the UEFA 'Team of the Year'.
#3 Luis Figo
Similar to Nedved, Luis Figo was a wide midfielder who liked to control the right flank of the pitch. He was part of one of the most controversial moments in football history as he transferred from Barcelona to direct rivals Real Madrid in 2000.
The Portuguese midfielder won the first Ballon d'Or of the 21st century in 2000, the year he transferred to Real Madrid. He was given the award for coming off a solid season with Barcelona. He scored 14 goals in 51 appearances for Blaugrana He was also the spark in the Galacticos' eventual La Liga victory the following season.
Figo was a menace for defenders, as he was a master of close control dribbling. He took on the full back at every opportunity and beat them with flair and elegance. He was also an excellent creator, averaging 20 goal contributions per season in his prime.
Figo was an instant favorite wherever he played, securing eight domestic titles and a Champions League winner's medal.
#2 Kaka
Kaka is the first player on this list to win the Ballon d'Or while competing with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and he did so in 2007 with AC Milan. Despite having an underwhelming domestic campaign, AC Milan went on to win the 2006-07 Champions League trophy. Kaka's 10 goals and three assists in the competition made him the stand-out choice to receive the award.
The Brazilian midfielder at his best was a defender's nightmare. Kaka had the ability to take the ball in his stride and carry it from the halfway line to the opposition goal, running past players with ease. To cap it off, he could find the perfect pass between defenders, or a clinical finish past the goalkeeper.
Kaka ended up with 223 goal contributions in 359 starts. He collected two domestic titles, one Champions League, and one FIFA World Cup alongside three UEFA 'Team of the Year' appearances.
#1 Luka Modric
Luka Modric won the Ballon d'Or in 2018, finally breaking the decade-long run of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Modric was given the award for being the maestro of Real Madrid's midfield in their third consecutive Champions League win. He also captained an underdog Croatia team that reached the FIFA World cup final.
The Croatian playmaker does not have many direct goal contributions. Where he does contribute, however, one would argue is more valuable than raw goals and assists.
Modric plays primarily as a deep-lying playmaker. He has mastered the craft of picking the ball up in his own half and effortlessly transitioning play from defense to attack within a blink of an eye. He also pops up everywhere on the field, providing aid to his defenders, and reliable support to his attackers.
Modric was at the heart of Real Madrid and continues to be so. He has won three domestic titles and four Champions League trophies with Los Blancos.
He also became the first player in history to be awarded four major individual awards in one season. These were - World Cup Golden Ball, UEFA Men's Player of the Year, FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or in the same year.
