The Ballon d’Or has once again sparked fiery debate among football fans this time around, this time due to the ranking of Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior and Manchester City’s Rodri. Supporters of each player have argued about the ranking of the Ballon d’Or. But in the most unexpected turn of events, Lionel Messi’s fans have jumped into this chaos to remind everyone of a valuable lesson in humility. They pointed to Messi’s incredible 2018 campaign, where he broke records but placed fifth ultimately.

To understand the argument, we need to go back to Messi’s 2018 season, when the Argentine genius was at the height of his powers. His statistics were unbelievable; he had 77 G/A, the most goals in Europe, the highest number of assists, and most Man of the Match awards across all European leagues. These achievements alone should have secured him a spot in the top three for the Ballon d’Or, yet Messi finished fifth.

Even with all his achievements and undeniable influence, Messi never complained or protested against the result. For Messi, his performance on the pitch was always enough. And it’s this example of humility that Messi fans are holding up in light of the current debate over Rodri’s ranking above Vinicius Júnior in the Ballon d’Or standings.

Ballon d’Or ranking often sees every minor detail of a player. In the case of Rodri, he has a 26G/A as a CDM, won two major events, the Premier League and Euro, and also won the Club World Cup. Has 70% successful dribbles, 100 key passes, and 93% passing accuracy, far more significant than Vinicius Junior. 

Why Rodri ranked higher than Vinicius Jr. in the Ballon d’Or

Vinicius had a magnificent season. However, as Messi’s 2018 example shows, sometimes the Ballon d’Or ranking isn’t entirely about scoring goals. Rodri, after all, was pivotal in Manchester City’s winning season. As a midfield general, his contribution was integral to City’s success in the Premier League and Club World Cup.

There is a reasonable argument for those supporting Vinicius, given his outstanding individual skills and impressive performances to justify being considered for the prize. The award isn’t necessarily just about raw statistics. It’s quite common for voters to look at the wider context – team success, how much that individual contributed in important games, and by extension how much he contributed to the said results.

Luka Modric won the Ballon d’Or in 2018 over Messi and Ronaldo because of his success in the Champions League with Real Madrid, combined with taking Croatia to the World Cup final. Rodri’s influence on City and Spain led to his deserved higher position in the Ballon d’Or rankings, according to some.

In the end, Messi fans think the Ballon d’Or reflects a player’s impact on their team’s success, not just stats. Similarly, Messi accepted his fifth-place finish despite topping all European metrics. So, Vinicius might also realize rankings don’t always match his contributions.