Former Real Madrid and Inter Milan star Wesley Sneijder claims he should have won the 2010 Ballon d’Or over Lionel Messi.
Sneijder enjoyed a superb campaign in 2009/10 campaign, as Jose Mourinho’s Inter won the Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble.
That was also followed by a 2010 World Cup final defeat to Spain for Sneijder’s Netherlands in South Africa.
Messi won the La Liga title in 2009/10 and the Champions League in 2009 and 2011, as he eventually scooped his second Ballon d’Or award.
Sneijder finished fourth in the final vote list for the 2010 trophy, with Messi receiving 22% of the vote, ahead of his Barcelona teammates Andres Iniesta (17%) Xavi (16%), with Sneijder on 14%.
The frustration over Messi’s win is still a sore subject for Sneijder, who retired from football in 2019, but defeat to Spain in the final is the greater regret of his career.
"It was a little unfair that I didn’t win the 2010 Ballon d’Or and Messi did", as per an interview with Egyptian channel Alhayah TV, via Diario AS.
“But, I’m not a guy who cries about that. The Ballon d’Or is an individual award, and I prefer to win collective trophies.
“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.
“We deserved to win in the 2010 final against Spain, but they were incredible and beat us. Reaching the final was a wonderful achievement that I dreamed of and I’m still heartbroken to have lost.”
Sneijder’s fourth place spot in 2010 was the sole time he finished inside the top ten Ballon d’Or vote in his career.
The_Truth
536
Sorry Sneijder. Facts remain Facts. He wasn't the best in his own club team (Inter Milan), nor the best in WC 2010. Explanation - He did win the treble with Inter and was important, of course, but how integral exactly? If one could only select one key player that season, then number one would have to be the top scorer, Diego Milito. Diego Milito was the top scorer for Inter Milan in 2010 Secondly, other important parts of the treble-winning team include the legendary Samuel Eto’o, Maicon who was tied for the highest number of assists for Inter that season with Sneijder, not forgetting the likes of Esteban Cambiasso and Lucio among others who were at the very least just as crucial to the success of Mourinho’s team. So, to get this right, Sneijder, who played 26 out of 38 league games and returned four goals and five assists should have won the Ballon d’Or despite having fewer goals (6) and assists (10) than Maicon, a FULLBACK on the same team?? That means he was outclassed by his own teammates. Ronaldinho led the league in assists with 14, nine more than Sneijder and 21-year-old Palermo midfielder Javier Pastore was named midfielder of the season for 2009/10. Javier Pastore beat Wesley Sneijder to the Serie A midfielder of the year award in 2010 Now, the case of WC 2010 : He was not the best player at the tournament, everyone agreed that was Diego Forlan was. He also lost the Golden Boot to Thomas Muller on technicalities despite scoring five goals along with David Villa and the aforementioned Forlan. So even at the tournament on which his Ballon d’Or case was built, Sneijder was not the best player nor the outright highest scorer or assist provider and did not win the tournament. Finally, the bulk of his club success that season came in the Champions League, and even there, Messi won the Golden Boot in 2010 along with UEFA player of the year. Sneijder did win the assists award with six, but that is not enough to win Ballon d’Or by any stretch of the imagination.
Ig_brarm
529
That’s why its a robbery He won the UCL He won the Serie-A He won the Coppa Italia He won the UEFA Midfielder of the Year award He was top assist provider in UCL He was WC joint top scorer He was WC Finalist He was WC 2nd best player (Only behind Forlan) He won most MoTM awards in WC He won 5 trophies & was WC Finalists Messi has 0 WC goal in 2010 still he won the Ballon D’or over Snijder
hekbclnrtz
462
Brother… As much as I love Wesley, This was the standard in 2009/10 Best player Serie A : Diego Milito La Liga : Messi Uefa Player of the Year : Diego Milito World Cup : Diego Forlan Top Scorer Serie A : Toto Di Natale La Liga : Messi UCL : Messi World Cup : Thomas Müller, Diego Forlàn, David Villa and Wesley Sneijder Top Assists Serie A : Ronaldinho La Liga : Xavi UCL : Sneijder World Cup : Kakà, Müller, Özil, Kuyt Wesley was Silver ball in the World Cup and that’s it… stop trying to push a narrative that doesn’t exist. He wasn’t the best player in any of the major tournaments.
geegoldx
208
I’m sorry, there is nothing he did right, all what he did was “almost. He was not the best player at the tournament, everyone agreed that was Diego Forlan, neither did Sneijder win the Golden Boot which he lost to Thomas Muller on technicalities despite scoring five goals along with David Villa and the aforementioned Forlan. So even at the tournament on which his Ballon d’Or case was built, Sneijder was not the best player nor the outright highest scorer or assist provider and did not win the tournament. So, to get this right, Sneijder, who played 26 out of 38 league games and returned four goals and five assists should have won the Ballon d’Or despite?? Messi ended the 2009/10 season with 47 goals across all competitions, his best-ever single-season tally at the time which also included 34 league goals in 35 games to help Barcelona win the La Liga title with 99 points. Messi got his first European Golden Shoe at the time as the highest scorer in all the league across the continent
The_Truth
15
That’s why its a robbery He won the UCL He won the Serie-A He won the Coppa Italia He won the UEFA Midfielder of the Year award He was top assist provider in UCL He was WC joint top scorer He was WC Finalist He was WC 2nd best player (Only behind Forlan) He won most MoTM awards in WC He won 5 trophies & was WC Finalists Messi has 0 WC goal in 2010 still he won the Ballon D’or over Snijder
The problem is with your analysis. Let's make this clear He wasn't the best in his own club team (Inter Milan), nor the best in WC 2010. Explanation - He did win the treble with Inter and was important, of course, but how integral exactly? If one could only select one key player that season, then number one would have to be the top scorer, Diego Milito. Diego Milito was the top scorer for Inter Milan in 2010 Secondly, other important parts of the treble-winning team include the legendary Samuel Eto’o, Maicon who was tied for the highest number of assists for Inter that season with Sneijder, not forgetting the likes of Esteban Cambiasso and Lucio among others who were at the very least just as crucial to the success of Mourinho’s team. So, to get this right, Sneijder, who played 26 out of 38 league games and returned four goals and five assists should have won the Ballon d’Or despite having fewer goals (6) and assists (10) than Maicon, a FULLBACK on the same team?? That means he was outclassed by his own teammates. Ronaldinho led the league in assists with 14, nine more than Sneijder and 21-year-old Palermo midfielder Javier Pastore was named midfielder of the season for 2009/10. Javier Pastore beat Wesley Sneijder to the Serie A midfielder of the year award in 2010 Now, the case of WC 2010 : He was not the best player at the tournament, everyone agreed that was Diego Forlan was. He also lost the Golden Boot to Thomas Muller on technicalities despite scoring five goals along with David Villa and the aforementioned Forlan. So even at the tournament on which his Ballon d’Or case was built, Sneijder was not the best player nor the outright highest scorer or assist provider and did not win the tournament. Finally, the bulk of his club success that season came in the Champions League, and even there, Messi won the Golden Boot in 2010 along with UEFA player of the year. Sneijder did win the assists award with six, but that is not enough to win Ballon d’Or by any stretch of the imagination.
culer1
9
That’s why its a robbery He won the UCL He won the Serie-A He won the Coppa Italia He won the UEFA Midfielder of the Year award He was top assist provider in UCL He was WC joint top scorer He was WC Finalist He was WC 2nd best player (Only behind Forlan) He won most MoTM awards in WC He won 5 trophies & was WC Finalists Messi has 0 WC goal in 2010 still he won the Ballon D’or over Snijder
The same way Ronaldo won in 2013 and 2014 Perez clearly bought Balon d'Or for him