Ballon d'Or post who would have won award had Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi not existed
The organizing commission of the Ballon d'Or uploaded a post on social media of who would have won the famed prize had Messi and CR7 never played the game.
A world without Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? INSANE! But the people of the Ballon d’Or wanted us to take that journey by posting on social media who would have won the award had the Argentine and Portuguese superstars never played the game.
In a strange way that is what is going to happen, given that CR7 is now in Saudi Arabia and Lionel Messi is due to sign with Inter Miami on Friday. The nominees for the award in 2023 are set to be announced on September 3rd and Lionel Messi could still bag his historic 8th Ballon d’Or.
So, who would have won the award in the years that Messi and Ronaldo took it home? They are still a who’s who of great soccer talents.
Ballon d’Or winners had Messi and Ronaldo not played
According to the voting in those given years here is the list of winners:
2008 – Fernando Torres 2009 – Xavi 2010 – Andrés Iniesta 2011 – Xavi 2012 – Andrés Iniesta 2013 – Franck Ribéry 2014 – Manuel Neuer 2015 – Neymar 2016 – Antoine Griezmann 2017 – Neymar 2019 – Virgil van Dijk 2021 – Robert Lewandowski
Kelvin Loyola is a seasoned content writer and journalist at Bolavip, boasting over 15 years of experience in sports journalism and marketing. He has covered a wide array of sports including the USMNT, MLS, Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and Liga MX, as well as the NBA, MLB, NHL, and various entertainment topics. Prior to his journalism and marketing career, Kelvin worked in post-production, contributing to numerous movie, television, and digital projects. He also brings expertise in project management, social media, and web development. A graduate of Queens College with a degree in Media Studies, Kelvin is bilingual, fluent in both English and Spanish. His passions extend beyond his career to include soccer, marketing, photography, surfing, and pop culture, particularly comics.