From Xavi to Haaland: Ballon d’Or winners in a world without Messi and Ronaldo
The 2026 Ballon d'Or looks to be an open race with a number of candidates in contention. It's a contrast to much of the past two decades, when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo hoovered up the prize.
Between them, Messi and Ronaldo won all but one Ballon d'Or between 2008 and 2021, while Messi added another, his record-extending eighth award, in 2023.
Messi has been nominated again in 2026, though their era of dominance now looks over. But how would things have looked had two of the the game's all-time greats not dominated football's biggest individual honour?
2008 - Fernando Torres
Cristiano Ronaldo claimed his first-ever Ballon d'Or in 2008, after inspiring Manchester United to Premier League and Champions League success. Messi settled for the runners-up position, with Fernando Torres in third.
The Spanish striker followed an electric debut season at Liverpool, in which he set a then-record for Premier League goals by an overseas signing in their first campaign (24), by helping Spain to Euro 2008 success. Torres' final winner against Germany ended Spain's long wait for tournament success.
2009 - Xavi
The conductor of Barcelona's all-conquering side, Xavi placed third behind the pair in 2009. The midfield maestro was an integral part of Barcelona's Champions League, La Liga, and Copa del Rey treble under Pep Guardiola.
2010 - Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta was runner-up for the Ballon d'Or in 2010, as Ronaldo missed out on the podium entirely.
Incredibly, it was a Barcelona one-two-three as Messi, Iniesta, and Xavi earned the most votes. Iniesta scored the winner in the 2010 World Cup final as Spain were crowned world champions for the first time.
2011 - Xavi
In a world without Messi and Ronaldo, Xavi would have claimed a second Ballon d'Or in 2011. He was instrumental again as Barcelona won the Champions League, which included a masterclass against Manchester United in the final.
2012 - Andres Iniesta
Iniesta could have celebrated a second Ballon d'Or of his own in this hypothetical world. He was named Euro 2012's Player of the Tournament as Spain stormed to a third straight major tournament win, and earned the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award.
Messi, however, claimed the Ballon d'Or after a record-breaking year.
2013 - Franck Ribery
Franck Ribery admitted he felt robbed of the 2013 Ballon d'Or. Ribery scored 34 goals for Bayern Munich's treble-winning team, but ended up third in the vote.
“It was unfair," Ribery told La Gazzetta dello Sport in 2022.
"It was an incredible season for me, and I should have won it. They extended the time for votes, and something strange happened. I felt that it was a political choice."
Ronaldo won 27.99 per cent of the vote, Messi 24.72 and Ribery 23.36.
2014 - Manuel Neuer
Only one goalkeeper has ever won the Ballon d'Or, when Lev Yashin claimed the 1963 award. Manuel Neuer featured on the podium in 2014, after leading Germany to World Cup success.
2015 - Neymar
There was a time when Neymar seemed certain to win a Ballon d'Or. The Brazilian's brilliance saw him emerge as an heir to the Messi-Ronaldo era, with the winger starring alongside Messi at Barcelona. After helping the Catalans to treble success in 2015, he finished third in the vote.
2016 - Antoine Griezmann
Cristiano Ronaldo claimed a fourth Ballon d'Or after leading Portugal to success at that summer's European Championship, alongside Champions League success with Real Madrid.
Messi was runner-up, with Antoine Griezmann third. The Frenchman won the Golden Boot and Best Player award at that summer's Euros.
2017 - Neymar
Neymar would have scooped a second Ballon d'Or in 2017, in a universe without Messi and Ronaldo. That summer saw Neymar swap Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record £198m deal.
2018 - Luka Modric
Luka Modric did break up the duopoly in 2018.
The Croatian claimed the Ballon d'Or after a year that included Champions League success with Real Madrid, and a World Cup final appearance with the national team. Ronaldo finished runner-up, with Antoine Griezmann third. It was the first time since 2006 that Messi did not make the top three.
2019 - Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk narrowly missed out on becoming only the fourth defender to win the Ballon d'Or in 2019.
The Dutchman missed out to Messi by just seven points in a razor-thin margin. Van Dijk had led Liverpool to Champions League success, beating Messi's Barcelona in an epic semi-final.
2021 - Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski might be the most unfortunate non-Ballon d'Or winner of all time. Lewandowski should have won the 2020 prize after scoring 55 goals in 47 games for a treble-winning Bayern Munich side, only to see the award cancelled amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
A year later, the prolific Polish forward was runner-up to Messi. Consolation was found with back-to-back The Best FIFA Men's Player prizes.
2022 - Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema became only the second footballer in 14 years to break up Ronaldo and Messi's dominance in 2022.
The Frenchman was recognised after leading Real Madrid to Champions League success, scoring 15 goals in 12 games. Neither Messi nor Ronaldo finished on the podium, with Sadio Mane runner-up and Kevin De Bruyne third.
2023 - Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland might feel pretty aggrieved to have missed out on the 2023 Ballon d'Or. The Norwegian's record-breaking year saw him score 52 goals in 53 games as Manchester City won a Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League treble.
Messi pipped him to the award, after inspiring Argentina's World Cup success in Qatar.
