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For over a decade, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's duopoly over the Ballon d'Or has been nothing short of extraordinary. Their remarkable consistency and relentless pursuit of excellence have often left other world-class players in the shadows.
Throughout this era, many other world-class players have consistently performed at the highest level but missed out on football's most prestigious award due to the duo's dominance.
The competition between these two legends has raised the bar for what it takes to claim the Ballon d'Or, making it one of the most captivating narratives in modern football history.
While their rivalry is a testament to their greatness, it also highlights the challenges faced by equally deserving players who've had the misfortune of competing in the same era as these two football giants.
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Without further ado, let's take a look at seven great players who could have won the Ballon d'Or if Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo never played.
#7 Franck Ribery
Franck Ribery missed out on the 2013 Ballon d'Or in agonizing fashion. The legendary French winger had just enjoyed a spectacular season with Bayern Munich, helping them clinch a continental treble. His remarkable performances for the Bavarians made him a frontrunner for the much-coveted honour.
He scored 11 goals and provided a whopping 23 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions for Bayern Munich in the 2012-13 season. However, despite his exceptional performances, he only finished third in the Ballon d'Or voting.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the award. Ribery only missed out due to the excellence of Messi and Ronaldo.
#6 Xavi
Xavi is one of the greatest midfielders in the history of football. The Spanish legend found himself in the unfortunate position of missing out on the Ballon d'Or on multiple occasions due to Messi and Ronaldo.
Xavi's extraordinary vision, passing range, accuracy and ability to control the tempo of the game made him one of the most influential players in the world. He was in imperious form between 2008 and 2012 but his remarkable achievements could not fire him to a historic Ballon d'Or win.
Xavi finished third in the Ballon d'Or race behind Ronaldo and Messi on three occasions; in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
#5 Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski has faced the disappointment of missing out on the Ballon d'Or twice in his illustrious career. The legendary Polish striker's stunning goalscoring form fired Bayern Munich to their second-ever treble win in 2020.
However, the Ballon d'Or was cancelled that year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Lewandowski wasn't fazed. He put his head down and made himself a top contender for the award in 2021.
But the award went to Messi that year as the Argentinian legend enjoyed a great domestic season at an individual level and was also the standout performer for Argentina as they won the Copa America that year. It's worth noting that he won the Best FIFA Men's Player Award in both of these years.
#4 Wesley Sneijder
A huge section of football fans are in agreement over the notion that Wesley Sneijder was robbed of the Ballon d'Or in 2010. The legendary Dutch midfielder did not even make the Ballon d'Or podium in what fans regard to be a major disservice to his exploits during that year.
Messi won the Ballon d'Or with Iniesta and Xavi finishing second and third. Meanwhile, Sneijder, whose outstanding playmaking and goalscoring ability slung Inter Milan to a historic continental treble, was ignored.
He also played an instrumental role in the Netherlands' run to the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where they fell to Spain in the dying embers of extra-time. Sneijder scored five goals and provided one assist in seven appearances in football's showpiece tournament that year.
#3 Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann is one of the best forwards of his generation. Although he is widely recognized for his incredible abilities, he doesn't really get the credit he deserves. Griezmann gave Ronaldo and Messi a run for their money during the pair's prime.
The Frenchman finished third in the Ballon d'Or race twice, in 2016 and 2018. In 2016, he played a pivotal role in helping France reach the Euro 2016 final and was a key figure at Atletico Madrid.
In 2018, Griezmann won the World Cup with the French national team, yet Lionel Messi and Luka Modric claimed the award in those respective years.
#2 Neymar
Neymar is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted footballers of all time. The Brazilian maverick is one of the most exciting attackers of his generation and during his time at Barcelona, he was nearly unstoppable.
In any other era, Neymar's dazzling skills and footballing prowess might have been enough to secure the prestigious honour.
Nevertheless, the presence of Ronaldo and Messi during their prime years made the competition incredibly challenging, causing Neymar to fall tantalizingly short of clinching the Ballon d'Or. He finished third in the race for the Ballon d'Or in 2015 and 2017.
#1 Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta is one of the greatest footballers of all time. He is arguably the greatest player to have missed out on the Ballon d'Or during the Messi-Ronaldo era.
His vision, exquisite passing ability and ability to come up clutch in high-pressure situations were critical to Spain and Barcelona's dominance between 2008 and 2015. Iniesta has had a profound influence on the beautiful game and was a regular feature in the race for the Ballon d'Or during his prime years.
However, owing to the competition from Messi and Ronaldo, who keeps a stranglehold on the award, Iniesta was denied the honour multiple times. The Spanish legend finished second in 2010 and third in 2012.
