“I can’t even find the words to describe it” - When Gabriel Martinelli claimed his teammate deserved to win Ballon d'Or ahead of Lionel Messi

Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli claimed during the 2023/24 campaign that his teammate Jorginho deserved to win the Ballon d'Or ahead of Lionel Messi in 2021. That year, the Italy international finished third in the race for this prestigious prize, behind Robert Lewandowski and Messi.

This may have been slightly surprising, given the defensive midfielder had a season to remember. He first won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea and managed to win the European Championships with Italy in the summer.

While that was the case, it wasn't surprising to see Martinelli speak in favor of his Arsenal teammate, with whom he's shared the pitch 52 times across competitions. The pair even have a joint goal contribution to their name.

Addressing this in the 2023/24 season, Martinelli said while watching one of the Gunners' match highlights (via GIVEMESPORT):

"This here is one of Jorginho’s strengths, I can’t even find the words to describe it. I think he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or a while ago.”

That season, Jorginho made 43 appearances across competitions for Chelsea, bagging eight goals and two assists. Meanwhile, Messi, who won the prize, managed to find the net 38 times while registering 14 assists.

Jorginho, 33, eventually left Chelsea for Arsenal in 2023, where he now plies his trade. The Italian's contract with the Gunners runs out in the summer, after which he will become a free agent.

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Frank Ribery claims he deserved to win 2013 Ballon d'Or over Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Bayern Munich attacker Frank Ribery believes he was robbed of the 2013 Ballon d'Or, a year which saw him finish third behind Lionel Messi (second) and Cristiano Ronaldo (winner).

The Frenchman had a stellar season, winning the Champions League and the Bundesliga. He contributed with 22 goals and 18 assists in 52 games for club and country but was not deemed worthy of the prize.

He said in an interview with L'Equipe (via talkSPORT):

"With the utmost and maximum humility and respect, Messi and Ronaldo were not better than me in 2013.

"The 2013 Ballon d'Or will forever remain an injustice. I'm still looking for an explanation. I had the perfect year. I couldn't have done better."

Ronaldo enjoyed a strong season, scoring 66 goals and bagging 15 assists in 56 appearances for Real Madrid and Portugal. Meanwhile, Messi finished with 42 goals and 15 assists in 45 matches for Barcelona and Argentina.