Premier League: Declan Rice, Guardiola’s most expensive setback
The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious individual award that exists in the world of soccer today. It is the only trophy that makes the stars of the game run in all directions. But it is clear that the greatest, including the legends, who are not even subject to debate, have not received this award. And if some wonder why, it is quite simple.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, is one of the greatest soccer players of all time, if not the best, although he has never won the Ballon d’Or. The King of soccer, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 82, was the only one to win 3 World Cups with the Canarinha and was the absolute legend of Santos and the American Cosmos. Other great names in soccer, such as Diego Armando Maradona, Mané Garrincha and Mario Kempes, have also never received this prestigious award. And the answer to this discrepancy is one of the simplest, until 1995, the trophy was reserved for European players.
In fact, France Football started awarding the Ballon d’Or in 1956. Originally it was called the European Footballer of the Year Award abroad, and for almost four decades the award was reserved for players from the old continent. But because of the shape of the cup, it was eventually called simply the Golden Ball. But it wasn’t until 1995 that the magazine opened the nominations to all footballers on the planet. That year, George Weah became the only African to be officially considered the best in the world.
On the other hand, the veto on foreign footballers had two exceptions. These were Alfredo Di Stéfano and Omar Sivori. Both were Argentinians by birth, but with dual nationality since they played for European teams. Di Stéfano was the star player of Real Madrid and had Spanish nationality, which allowed him to win the award in 1957 and 1960. Sivori had Italian papers as a Juventus player and won the Ballon d’Or in 1961.
On the other hand, France Football wanted to compensate Pele and Maradona by awarding them honorary Ballon d’Or. The Brazilian received the award in 1994 and the following year the Argentine won his. In addition, in 2016, the magazine made a special edition in which it reviewed who would have been the best players in the world if there were no restrictions for foreigners. Pele would have been in the all-time top alongside Messi with seven awards. The Brazilian would have won the trophy in 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964 and 1970.
With the updated list, Pele would be the most decorated footballer of all time alongside Messi. Only his compatriot Garrincha in 1962 would have prevented Pele from being crowned best player of the world seven years in a row. Diego Maradona would have won the Ballon d’Or 1986 and 1990. Mario Kempes would have been the best in the world in 1978. Romario in 1994 completes the ranking of players who should have won the Ballon d’Or. In total, 12 changes, three Brazilian players for nine awards and two Argentine players for three awards.
