The Ballon d'Or is the biggest individual prize in world football, with the very best the beautiful game has to offer competing to be awarded the Golden Ball each year. Sir Alex Ferguson and Jurgen Klopp once disagreed on which player deserved to be handed the accolade, with each man not afraid to give their opinion.
Lionel Messi has lifted the award more times than any other player in football history, with the diminutive Argentine great scooping the accolade an unfathomable eight times. Some of the greatest players of all time, such as Diego Maradona and Pele, weren't able to win the Ballon d'Or as it was only open to European participants originally.
Since opening its doors to every player on the planet, the award has grown in stature and importance, and has become a huge talking point each and every year. Who deserves it most? Who won the most team honours? Who outshines all other individuals on the planet? These are all questions that are asked in the build-up to the ceremony every 12 months.
Sir Alex Ferguson Backed Cristiano Ronaldo to Win Ballon d'Or in 2021
Sir Alex Ferguson cast his verdict on Freddy Adu
Sir Alex Ferguson cast his verdict on Freddy Adu
Speaking to Spanish publication Marca in 2021, Ferguson believed one of his former players at Old Trafford had done enough to lift the Golden Ball. That man was Cristiano Ronaldo, who had continued to break record after record despite his advancing age. The retired Scottish manager claimed:
"Cristiano deserves it. This year, he's broken record after record."
The Portuguese superstar grew into one of the best players on the planet under Ferguson's watchful eye at Manchester United before moving to Real Madrid for a then-world-record fee in 2009. His rise in the sport just continued from there, as Ronaldo claimed the Ballon d'Or five times along the way. His last came in 2020, but his old boss felt he had done enough to go back-to-back the next year.
Jurgen Klopp: Mo Salah Deserves Ballon d'Or Win
jurgen klopp mohamed salah
One man who had another name in mind for the 2021 award was Liverpool manager at the time, Jurgen Klopp. When asked if Mohamed Salah was worthy of finally getting his hands on the individual prize, the German tactician replied: "Yes," before stating his confusion at how the winner is decided. He said:
"I have no idea how you win the Ballon d’Or.
"If it’s about being in the Champions League final and scoring the most goals, it may be difficult, but if it’s on the form of the last two years, then he has a chance. Internally he always got the recognition, externally I don’t know. After the two goals he has scored people, all of a sudden, think he could be [the best in the world]. He has scored like this before and has performed on the highest level for many years."
Salah, who has scored over 20 goals in each of his seven seasons on Merseyside, was the best footballer in the world according to his boss. Klopp added: "He will do it again and again. Whatever you want to write about him, do it, he deserves it."
Both Klopp and Ferguson proved to be wrong with their selections as Messi scooped his seventh Ballon d'Or in 2021 before adding his eighth the following year. Salah is yet to win the award despite being viewed among the best on the planet at 33 years old. Meanwhile, Ronaldo hasn't added to his incredible five Golden Balls.