The time is far away when we put the Ballon d’Or to its winner on the edge of the lawn, before any match, in front of some local photographers. This discount is now the subject of a ceremony with great fanfare and shiny tuxedos, with its inevitable batch of bulky speeches and embarrassing moments. The awards for the 2021-2022 season will be awarded this Monday, October 17, at the Théâtre du Châtelet, in Paris.
The main thing is played before and after. Despite changes in the voting system and eligibility criteria, the volume of controversies around the winner remains stable. Even when he was trusted by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (winners 12 times out of 13 between 2008 and 2021, Luka Modric interfere in 2018), each had to determine for one or the other, as between Lennon or McCartney .
The criteria, repeatedly redefined, remain ambiguous. Sometimes the Ballon d’Or went to a partner of the year which did not justify this honor later (Michael Owen, in 2001). Sometimes a player favored by a lack of competition (Igor Belanov, in 1986), or because he had won a world title and embodied his team (Fabio Cannavaro, in 2006).
bias and injustices
Often, on the contrary, it is a status that is awarded, as if the jurors had to answer: “Who is the best player in absolute terms?” Rather than: “Who was the best player this Year? “Messi thus preceded Robert Lewandowski in 2021…
was a time, the player’s respectability was an implicit criterion. In 2000, Zinedine Zidane, European champion with France, had been deprived of Trophy by Luis Figo, but especially by an unfortunate boost (already) agreed to a player from Hamburg Sv. Div Data-ID = “UVS1SDBDUDS” Data-Provider = “YouTube” Data-Title = “The head of Zidane who made him lose the Ballon d ‘Gold 2000”>
We’re not there anymore, at least if it is Karim Benzema who goes on stage this evening. The Lyonnais, after having renounced, in June, to appeal to his conviction in the so -called sextape case, was found guilty of “complicity in attempted blackmail”. Absolution had been granted by coach Didier Deschamps, the Ballon d’Or will be worth beatification.
Let side morality: the sporting legitimacy of the Madrid is indisputable. Not only was he sparkling and decisive for Real, but we can rejoice that his exceptional longevity at the highest level is rewarded. Long -term footballers have often passed through the meshes of the charts.
Some profiles have been almost completely excluded. The defenders only have three winners – the last in 2006 – and the guards can no longer even dream of it. To the point that the organizers created in 2019 the “Yachine Trophy”, a consolation lot called by the name of the only winner in this position, Lev Yachine, in 1963.
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