Lionel Messi has in total won a record 8 Ballon d’Or’s throughout his career. However, on many occasions, the legitimacy of some of these accolades has been questioned by critics. Now former Dutch football player Wesley Sneijder stirred up a debate by expressing his opinion on the Argentine’s 2010 Ballon d’Or win, which seemed a little unfair to him.

The 2010 Ballon d’Or ceremony saw Messi claim the coveted trophy for the second consecutive year. Sharing the podium with him were his former Barcelona teammates, Andres Iniesta and Xavi. Sneijder, on the other hand, was awarded the fourth rank in the competition, an outcome that still bothers the Dutch legend.

Wesley Sneijder believes he should have won the 2010 Ballon d’Or

In a recent interview with Egyptian channel Alhayah TV, Sneijder openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the 2010 Ballon d’Or result. He stated, “It was a bit unfair that I wasn’t crowned with the 2010 Ballon d’Or and Messi won it.” Sneijder’s grievances stem from his remarkable performances that season.

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He had an exceptional campaign, winning a treble with Inter Milan and even reaching the finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup with the Netherlands. All these accomplishments made him a strong candidate to win the prestigious award. However, it’s worth noting that Sneijder prioritizes team achievements over individual accolades.

In the same interview, Sneijder emphasized this perspective, saying, “Although I’m not the guy who cries about it: the Ballon d’Or is an individual award, and what I prefer is to win collective trophies.” He further added, “If I had to choose between the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or, I would choose the Champions League I won, I’m very happy with that title.” 

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Who do you think should have won the 2010 Ballon d’or? Let us know in the comments.