5 controversial Ballon d'Or winners in recent years

#1 Luka Modric (2018)

Luka Modric was the heartbeat of Croatia in the World Cup

Luka Modric had a magnificent run in 2018, playing an influential role to help Real Madrid lift their third consecutive Champions League in four years. He also gave an admirable performance in the World Cup, dragging an underdog Croatia to the final.

Although it looks like Luka Modric's run was a carbon copy of Sneijder's run in 2010 who was denied the Ballon d'Or, it is not. The Dutch talisman won the glorious treble with Inter Milan and helped Netherlands reach the World Cup final. None of the other candidates competing for the honor in that year came even close to what Sneijder had achieved, which was not the case for the Croatian midfielder in 2018.

Modric's club-side teammate Raphael Varane won both the Champions League and the World Cup pushing himself one step ahead of the midfielder. Mbappe who featured third in the Ballon d'Or ranking gave a stellar performance for World Cup winner France and won the best young player award.

Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona to another La Liga and Copa del Rey double. He had 41 goals and 20 assists in 45 appearances for the Blaugrana which made his 61 goal involvements outstrip anyone else in Europe's top five leagues.

Cristiano Ronaldo was pushed to second place by the Croatian. The Portuguese ace was the Champions League highest goalscorer and lifted the trophy for the fifth time in his career.