This Monday, Fifa awarded The Best award, for the best player in the world, to Argentine Lionel Messi. The playmaker received the individual trophy for the seventh time in his career just over two months after winning the World Cup with his national team.
A survey carried out by sites-de-apostas.net pointed out that since 1956, when the Ballon d’Or appears, only six winners of a best in the world award have not won the Cup in their respective year. In return, Messi became the 11th player to take home the trophy in the season in which he won the world title.
In the survey, the two existing awards were considered: the Golden Ball, from the magazine France Football, and FIFA’s The Best. Also taken into account was the review of the Golden Ball, which was awarded only to European football athletes until 2007, made by the French magazine itself.
Check out the names of those who have achieved this rare feat in football:
Luka Modric (Croatia and Real Madrid – 2018): Fifa and Ballon d’Or
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal and Real Madrid – 2014): Fifa and Ballon d’Or
Lionel Messi (Argentina and Barcelona – 2010): Fifa and Ballon d’Or
Kevin Keegan (England and Hamburg – 1978): Ballon d’Or
Johan Cruyff (Holland and Barcelona – 1974): Ball of Ouro
Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia and FK Dukla Prag – 1962): Ballon d’Or
From 1956 until 1990, the only existing award was the Golden Ball, until FIFA created its own voting. Between 2010 and 2015, the two awards were unified, but split again in 2016.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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