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 77 - 96 of 96

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. MESSI IS OVERRATED.XAVI SHOULD HAVE WON.

    From rafascrackingup, on Tue 1 Dec 5:36PM

  2. I hope Messi the diving @#$% dies...

    From rtdxyron, on Tue 1 Dec 5:36PM

  3. Messi and the Ballon d'Or? Come on! I only have one­ word: muhaha. Maybe an Oscar for best male performace.

    From mokusmisi, on Tue 1 Dec 5:07PM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

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    From GiftsNCash, on Tue 1 Dec 5:01PM

  5. The 1999 Ballon D'Or should have gone to treable­ winning RYAN GIGGS who was magnificent and instrumental­ in the team's success

    From mathewdionyssiou, on Tue 1 Dec 5:00PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    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 violahti09, on Tue 1 Dec 4:34PM

  7. poor article. imo, professional sport has nothing to do­ with curses, its all down to hard work.

    From Who, on Tue 1 Dec 4:32PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

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  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

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  10. It does seem as if this award is cursed after noticing­ the dates that players have won it and where they went­ after winning it. The only winner who seemed to thrive­ after winning it was Figo. Now moving off topic about­ Zidane and Ronaldo. Zidane had a lot more experience­ and his ability to read the ball was one of the best­ their has ever been in the game and he very rarely­ slipped up. His heading was obviously incredible too­ and he had cracking skills. As far as complete players­ go Zidane is way up there and at this moment in time­ above Ronaldo. Also don't forget that when Figo was­ in the mood he could destroy any rival team Figo has­ always been one of my favourite players. The sad truth­ is that a lot of the great and the good in European­ football are retiring now. We have lost Zidane, Figo,­ Nesta, Nedved, Totti, and soon THE Ronaldo will­ probably be hanging his boots up too (Rivaldo playing­ in Uzbekistan) Cristiano Ronaldo has a way to go before­ he can be recognised as one of the worlds greatest like­ the players I just mentioned. Ronaldo too often tries­ to be clever and loses the ball that is not very cool­ and it makes him look a bit silly. Once he stops doing­ this then he will be a very fine player.

    From Heathcliffe D, on Tue 1 Dec 4:02PM

  11. hector2garcia shutp the @#$% up...Zidane is a legend­ dont ever talk bad about him. 2 world cup and two time­ best player.....what he made Cristiano will never make­ it even messi

    From myjack007, on Tue 1 Dec 3:51PM

  12. safc babe if thats really you your hot smokin hot and­ defo a babe

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Tue 1 Dec 3:44PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

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    From jillduffy91, on Tue 1 Dec 3:44PM

  14. Pffft. Mr. Bump is far better than Mr. Messy. ;)

    From David, on Tue 1 Dec 3:43PM

  15. messi is just too good

    From Mike, on Tue 1 Dec 3:21PM

  16. lol for Rivlado the wandering man:)

    From eurosportcommentator, on Tue 1 Dec 3:15PM
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    From hilucyjones, on Tue 1 Dec 3:13PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    i get bored when i look at barca playin ... they play­ ridiculous passing game .. i hate.. i like long­ volleys, crosses, long range shots .. aah iyam man­ united .. thats the way to play ..

    From vd, on Tue 1 Dec 2:39PM
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    From zuiai103, on Tue 1 Dec 2:36PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I IS DA BEST PLAYSER AV DA YEERS. I IS BETTER DAN ALL­ THEM USELASS F OCKS.

    From Donney, on Tue 1 Dec 2:20PM
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