Premier League - The curse of the Ballon d'Or

Eurosport - Tue, 01 Dec 11:01:00 2009

Pride comes before a fall? Lionel Messi crowned the best year of his career with a landslide victory in the Ballon d'Or, but history suggests life could get much harder for the mercurial Argentine.

2009 Lionel Messi - 0

Messi was realistic on receiving the award, saying: "To win the Ballon d'Or two years in a row is not an easy thing."

He is right. No player has won the award twice since the Brazilian Ronaldo (1997 and 2002), and few winners over the last 10 years have thrived afterwards.

Eurosport-Yahoo! investigates whether Messi could be about to experience the curse of the Ballon d'Or.

2008 - Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo spent the second half of last season in a sulk, lost the Champions League final (and with it any chance of retaining the Ballon d'Or), then got injured shortly after securing his dream move to Real Madrid. Missed Portugal's World Cup play-off, but will be in South Africa next year.

Curse rating: 6/10

- - -

2007 - Kaka

The mercurial Brazilian is still one of the best players in the world, but has subsequently polled eighth and sixth in the Ballon d'Or, reflecting a drop in his performance and that of his clubs. And his church in Brazil collapsed earlier this year.

Curse rating: 5/10

- - -

2006 - Fabio Cannavaro

Cannavaro was chosen after a magnificent World Cup, but promptly entered a terminal decline. Now back at Juventus after a disastrous spell at Real Madrid, and is counting down the days until he moves into coaching.

Curse rating: 7/10

- - -

2005 - Ronaldinho

Not so long ago, Ronaldinho was universally acknowledged as the best player in the world. He has failed to make even make the top 30 for the last two years. Form, fitness and motivation have deserted him and he may not even go to the 2010 World Cup.

Curse rating: 10/10

- - -

2004 - Andriy Shevchenko

Once the deadliest striker in the world, Shvechenko's career nosedived after moving to Chelsea in 2006. Roman Abramovich's £30m plaything scored just 16 league goals in two seasons, then failed in a second spell at Milan and is now back in Ukraine.

Curse rating: 9/10

- - -

2003 - Pavel Nedved

Although 2002/03, when Juventus reached the Champions League final, proved the pinnacle of his career, the Czech remained a consistent performer until his retirement this summer. Suffered the indignity of a season in Serie B with Juve but stayed loyal.

Curse rating: 2/10

- - -

2002 - Ronaldo

Ronaldo was already on his third or fourth comeback when he won his second Ballon d'Or in 2002. Things have gone spectacularly wrong since, although he had two more good seasons with Real Madrid before his career and his body both went went pear-shaped.

Curse rating: 6/10

- - -

2001 - Michael Owen

A sorry catalogue of injuries ensured Owen has never come close to replicating his 2000/01 season, when he helped Liverpool to a Cup treble and scored a hat-trick against Germany. Still talks a good game, but in truth he is a pale shadow of his former self.

Curse rating: 9/10

- - -

2000 - Luis Figo

Was crowned in the year of his sensational move from Barcelona to Real Madrid, and his sensational play continued among the Galacticos. Won two Liga titles, one Champions League and captained Portugal to the Euro 2004 final.

Curse rating: 1/10

- - -

1999 - Rivaldo

Another Brazilian. Rivaldo's career experienced a slow decline rather than a sudden halt, and he still managed to win the 2002 World Cup. Thereafter it all went wrong with an abortive move to Milan, and he now plays in Uzbekistan.

Curse rating 3/10

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 89 - 108 of 108

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  1. 106 maradona was not allowed because he was not from­ europe,after a rule change anyone playing in europe­ could be entered :)

    From kirk1pac, on Wed 2 Dec 4:55AM
  2. 110 whats so disgusting about my post????? im irish and­ took offence to what 108 posted,what problem do you­ have with my reply??

    From kirk1pac, on Wed 2 Dec 4:50AM
  3. #109 Your comments are disgusting. For one, I can't­ see anywhere in the last 20 comments anything relating­ to the shambles in Paris. And what gives you the right­ to make judgements about Ireland Mr 'I'm half­ French come and take me on the F1 boards I'll get­ my boys on you'
    One, I've had people threaten­ that they'll 'get their boys on me' face to­ face in the street so I'm not scared of you sat­ behind your computer.
    Two. How on Earth can you call­ the Irish cheats when the whole argument kicked off in­ the first place when a French player set up the winner­ with a deliberate handball (that I think you'll­ find is the definition of cheating - intentionally­ breaking the rules of the game)
    Three. Terrorists? Last­ time I looked the majority of Ireland was a very nice,­ peaceful country.
    Four. Catholic child abusers?­ That's a pretty horrible thing to accuse someone­ of.
    I was born in England and consider myself as an­ Englishman, however I also have Irish blood on my­ mother's side and I'm proud to say that I have­ Irish family, so it does hurt when people say such­ insulting things about you. I would love to see you­ walk into a pub in Ireland (and I mean proper parts not­ commercialised Dublin), and call the Irish what you­ just did. I guarantee you would not walk out, you'd­ be lucky to be alive. Once again, hiding behind your­ computer screen. I will also be reporting to to Yahoo­ for your remarks.

    From Michael, on Wed 2 Dec 1:49AM
  4. MGA as an Irish man I would love to bump into you to­ (talk) about your post,you nipple

    From kirk1pac, on Wed 2 Dec 1:38AM
  5. Is he the first argentinian to won the golden­ ball?.....So what about maradona?

    From Syakir, on Tue 1 Dec 11:03PM
  6. Well, cannavaro did win it in 2006...but it's true­ that mostly strikers and midfielders get this award.

    I­ think they tend to decline because after working so­ hard for his prestigious award, they aren't as­ driven to pursue any individual recognition. Then,­ it's all just downhill from there once that drive­ is gone. Pity.

    From BoazA, on Tue 1 Dec 10:27PM
  7. if my memory serves me well cannavaro is a defender!

    From emilyandermatt, on Tue 1 Dec 10:21PM
  8. Hi,  Here's how to get yourself a free PS3, iPod,­ wii or even cash!. Just go to - dxmil.tk (copy/paste­ into your browser) . It's FREE and has been­ researched by the BBC to be absolutely genuine. Simply­ go to the site and select the gift you would like or­ cash if you prefer. For full info and proof its real­ just go to - dxmil.tk

    From GiftsNCash, on Tue 1 Dec 9:40PM
  9. I think the only defender to have ever been awardeded­ the Ballon d'or was Lev Yashin the great Russian­ Goalkeeper!!

    From dante, on Tue 1 Dec 9:36PM
  10. It's not fair that only attackers should win this­ prestigious trophy! What about the legendary left full­ back Paolo Maldini and the great Libero Franco Baresi?

    From dante, on Tue 1 Dec 9:32PM
  11. if you want to wipe your a** on your rivals google­ footballtoiletpaper, you can get Celtic, Rangers, Man­ U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs, Sunderland, Newcastle,­ Birmingham and Villa toilet paper

    From footballtoiletpaper, on Tue 1 Dec 9:00PM
  12. messi is too hot but i think an african will win the­ next ballon'd or THAT IS DROGBA OR SANNI EMMANUEL

    From seunbamikole, on Tue 1 Dec 8:03PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hi,  Here's how to get yourself a free PS3, iPod,­ wii or even cash!. Just go to - dxmil.tk (copy/paste­ into your browser) . It's FREE and has been­ researched by the BBC to be absolutely genuine. Simply­ go to the site and select the gift you would like or­ cash if you prefer. For full info and proof its real­ just go to - dxmil.tk

    From GiftsNCash, on Tue 1 Dec 8:00PM
  14. cant believe paul mcshane the speed demon with an­ excellent touch wasnt in the mix

    From FERGUSON IS A PIG, on Tue 1 Dec 7:10PM
  15. 2005 - RONALIDINHO
    CURSE RATING 10/10

    THAT'S­ BULL@#$% BECAUSE HE WAS EUROPEAN CHAMPION WITH BARÇA IN­ 2006!!

    From Vítor, on Tue 1 Dec 6:40PM
  16. No doubt the agents (aka vultures) will be circling­ trying to engineer moves for the greedy cheating saps. ­ £70 million paid to agents in the Premier League alone.­ Paid by the clubs? Should be paid by the payers? ­ Whatever, it is paid by the idiot soccer supporters who­ pay outlandish ticket prices, ludicrous TV charges and­ stupendous prices for 50p shirts made in sweatshops­ adorned with their idols' names.

    Kiss the­ wallet!

    From Feltorange, on Tue 1 Dec 6:38PM
  17. Recently, I discovered a hot club -- T a l l h u b Co­­ m­ -- where many sexy tall players who like sports­ and­­ chatting there. I'm an open minded girl from­ UK, I­­ also like discuss sports and love with tall­ guys on it.

    From violahti10, on Tue 1 Dec 6:36PM
  18. henry best player who never won the award, how he didnt­ get it in the invincples is a joke, wouldve if aresenal­ had won the ucp

    From Jim, on Tue 1 Dec 6:26PM
  19. I nominate Paul Scharner of Wigan

    From goalsgalore, on Tue 1 Dec 6:06PM
  20. MESSI IS OVERRATED.XAVI SHOULD HAVE WON.

    From rafascrackingup, on Tue 1 Dec 5:36PM
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