Lionel Messi: Powerful In Ballon D'Or, Stagnate In FIFA Player Of The Year

JAKARTA - Every year, the world of football is enlivened by the selection party for the world's best football player, also Lionel Messi. Each of the world's best footballers competes for the title as the best player, the greatest individual of all the great footballers on earth. Football is indeed a team game, but recognition of the greatness of each individual is equally important.

Lionel Messi is currently the subject of discussion, after he failed to be selected as the FIFA World Player of the Year 2021 version. The Argentine striker was defeated by the spearhead of the Polish national team who plays for the elite German Bundesliga club, Robert Lewandowski in the election in Zurich, Switzerland on Tuesday 18 January 2022 early morning WIB.

This is the second time that Messi has lost to Lewandowski in the FIFA World Player of the Year selection. In 2020, Messi is only in third place after Lewandowaski and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“It is an honor and a pleasure to receive the FIFA Men's Player of the Year award. Thank you for your choice and support," said Lewandowski in his victory speech, which was delivered via his personal Twitter account.

Messi himself was speechless. His face conveyed disappointment when it was announced that he had lost to Lewandowski in the 2021 FIFA Men's Player of the Year selection.

Since the annual FIFA Best Player selection event was held in 2016, Messi has only been elected once, in 2019. Apart from being beaten by Lewandowski twice, Messi has also been beaten twice by Ronaldo, in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, Messi was not even in the list. The top three are occupied by Luca Modric (Real Madrid/Croatia), Ronaldo (Juventus/Portugal), and Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt).

Whereas Messi is the winner of the most Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball) awards, which also refers to the selection of the best male footballer in the world. Seven times, the player nicknamed La Pulga (The Flea) has won the Ballon d'Or. So, which is greater between the FIFA Best Player and the Ballon d'Or?

The FIFA Best Player Award and the Ballon d'Or are both prestigious. Both are considered top tier, the top ranking in individual awards in world football. The difference is, the Ballon d'Or was initiated by a football magazine from France, France Football. While the Best Player was initiated by FIFA as the parent organization of world football.

The selection of the Ballon d'Or winner is carried out exclusively by a panel consisting of journalists from around the world and selected by the committee of France Football. Meanwhile, the FIFA Best Player is chosen by an “international jury” consisting of national team coaches and captains, journalists, and fans invited by the organization.

The scoring period for the Ballon d'Or and FIFA Best Player awards is also different. The Ballon d'Or award is based on a footballer's performances throughout the calendar year, in all competitions. While the FIFA Player of the Year is selected based on a player's performances in a season, which is usually held during the summer.

The first Ballon d'Or award was held in 1956. British footballer Stanley Matthews was the first winner. Initially, the Ballon d'Or was an award for the best European player, but since 1995 it has been extended to players from around the world who play in European league clubs.

Former Liberia forward and now President of the country, George Weah was the first no-European footballer to win the Ballon d'Or, and he is the only African to win the award to date. Brazilian forward Ronaldo became the first South American footballer to win the Ballon d'Or in 1997.

The FIFA Best Player Award began in 1991. However, due to lack of exposure, FIFA then cooperated with France Football to hold the Ballon d'Or FIFA Best Player in 2010.

The merger of the Ballon d'Or and FIFA Player of the Year lasted for five years, ending in 2016. After that, the two awards went their own way. Lionel Messi has felt both.