How Countries Voted in 2021 Ballon d’Or With Portugal Snubbing Ronaldo and England Picking Messi Second

How Countries Voted in 2021 Ballon d’Or With Portugal Snubbing Ronaldo and England Picking Messi Second

Babajide Orevba
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:51 PM
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  • 2021 Ballon d’Or has continued to generate controversies after France Football handed it to Argentine legend Lionel Messi
  • Details of how each country voted for the winner has been revealed and there are areas of concern over the coveted prize
  • Most European countries voted for Robert Lewandowski, but Portugal failed to even name Cristiano Ronaldo for the award

Argentine legend Lionel Messi was named the 2021 Ballon d’Or winner scooping the prestigious prize for a seventh time, and the only man to do so, BeSoccer reports.

The 2021 edition of the award has continued to generate controversies and now the voting has been released - with most of the European countries voting for Robert Lewandowski.

Messi beat the Polish striker with a very few votes and many have called for the trophy to go to the Bayern Munich striker.

Lionel Messi
2021 Ballon d'Or handed to Argentine legend Lionel Messi. Photo: Aurelien Meunier
Source: Getty Images

France Football officials who organised the awards have admitted that they would consider giving him the Ballon d’Or of last year after the event was cancelled due to the pandemic, SunSport reports.

How each country voted this year

However, the votes by journalists from all countries in the world who participate in the award has been exposed and there are a few curiosities.

In fact, Brazil did not even name Messi in the top five in the world, despite that the Argentine led his nation to beat them in the Copa America final.

They voted De Bruyne first and then Jorginho, Mbappe, Lukaku and Neymar. Argentina put Messi first and then Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Suarez and Pedri.

The Ballon d'Or winner swept Asia and the Americas, while Lewandowski did so in Europe and Africa. Countries such as Eritrea, Gambia, Hungary and Moldova did not vote for the Argentine star.

Another curiosity is that Portugal did not put Cristiano Ronaldo in the top five, voting Kante first.

Guardiola blasts Messi’s critics over Ballon d’Or

Meanwhile, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has expressed disappointment at critics who claim Lionel Messi should not have been awarded the 2021 Ballon d’Or.

But Guardiola who managed Messi during their time at Spanish club Barcelona insisted that no one can say it was unfair that the award went to Messi.

With Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski missing out on the coveted prize last year, many claim the Polish striker should have been handed the award.

Ronaldo backs claims that Messi ‘stole’ 2021 Ballon d’Or

Legit.ng earlier reported that Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has taken to social media to back a claim that Lionel Messi stole the 2021 Ballon d’Or from him and Robert Lewandowski.

Lionel Messi was handed a seventh Ballon d’Or title on Monday night, November 29, but fans have blasted France Football for ignoring Robert Lewandowski.

And a five-time recipient of the same award, Ronaldo, who garnered 435 votes to finish sixth has commented ‘facts’ underneath a post detailing why the Manchester United star should have won it.

Authors
Babajide Orevba photo
Babajide Orevba
Babajide Orevba is a CAF accredited Nigerian journalist and HOD of the Local Desk with over 10 years of experience in media landscape.He studied NCE Political Science/Social Studies, AOCOED.
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