10 players who would have won the Ballon d'Or if not for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

2016: Antoine Griezmann

Germany v France - Semi Final: UEFA Euro 2016

Antoine Griezmann enjoyed a dream run in 2016. He won the Golden Boot as France lost the Euros in the final that year and Griezmann was adjudged the best player of the tournament. He had also just enjoyed his most prolific season for Atletico Madrid.

2017: Neymar

FC Barcelona v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg

In his final season at Barcelona, Neymar was a world beater who was knocking in goals for fun. The Brazilian scored 27 goals from 30 appearances in La Liga and was tearing defenders into smithereens all throughout the season. He made it to the FIFA FIFPRO World 11 but missed out on the Ballon d'Or.

2018: Luka Modric

Real Madrid CF v Rayo Vallecano de Madrid - La Liga

The only aberration in an otherwise perfect record shared by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Luka Modric finally broke the duopoly enjoyed by the legendary duo. Modric put on some wonderful performances for Real Madrid from the center of the park in the 2017-18 season.

He won the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid and also made it to the finals of the FIFA World Cup with Croatia and was arguably the best player for both club and country.

🏅 Luka Modric being named the best player in the world👀 Which players have impressed him in 2018✍ Eden Hazard to Real MadridWe spoke to Luis Figo! #Goal50 pic.twitter.com/FkHTo8Zyj2

— Goal (@goal) November 14, 2018

2019: Virgil van Dijk

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final

To be fair, Virgil van Dijk did just about everything he could have done to rob Lionel Messi off the Ballon d'Or in 2019. He had just won the UEFA Champions League with Liverpool and the Merseysiders had lost out on the Premier League title by a point.

There was simply no getting past the Dutchman as he started to look like a bargain even for £75 million. The last time a defender won the Ballon d'Or was way back in 2006 and that was Fabio Cannavaro.

Virgil van Dijk's game by numbers vs. Bayern Munich on this day in 2019:✅ Goal✅ Assist100% aerial duels won100% shot accuracy100% tackles won5 clearances3 interceptionsBest #UCL CB performance of the last decade. pic.twitter.com/GrMfHJ8ATX

— The Anfield Talk (@TheAnfieldTalk) March 13, 2021