The Curse of the Ballon d’Or

By now I’m sure you’ve heard the big news emanating from Brazil: Ronaldinho has been left off the Selecao callup list for the Confederations Cup and the summer’s World Cup qualifying. Not because of injury or fatigue, but because, as it stands right now, he’s not good enough. Yes, that Ronaldinho. Two years ago almost universally accepted as the best player in the world, and only second to Ruud in equine resemblance.

And now he’s not even untouchable on the national team. A plummet from grace which has befallen a number of recent Ballon d’Or winners, leading us to wonder….is it cursed?


Have a quick look at the winners since 2001:

A brief look at each since:

Owen: Do Three Lions fans really want a rundown? Didn’t think so.

And at 29 he’s playing for a team which is likely to be relegated. Just incredible.

Ronaldo: Multiple injuries, multiple scandals, multiple pounds, and…

Goal totals since winning the trophy: 24, 21, 14, 1, 7, 2.

Not exactly going in the right direction. (Eight and counting this year, however.)

Nedved: I’m not going to place the burden on his shoulders, but…..Calciopoli anyone?

(Arguably the only exemption from the curse on an individual level.)

Shevchenko: Curse of the Ballon d’Or or Curse of the Footballer’s Wife? Whatever the case, two years after winning the game’s highest honor his career just abruptly ended and is still waiting for the paddles.

Ronaldinho: Even disregarding the Dunga snub and his form in Milan, less than two years after kissing that trophy he was jettisoned from Barcelona in his prime for a mere €20m, which proved far more beneficial for Barca than Milan. That should say quite enough.

Cannavaro: His decline has largely been due to age, a tribute to his quality in Germany despite being at the very tail end of his prime, but things have certainly not started well in his return to Juventus. A curse building steam it could be said.

Kaka: Year two ends in two weeks. Expect Kaka to star in Gigologate sometime in the next 18 months.

Ronaldo: Ditto – but entirely unrelated to the curse.

It’s not perfect, but there certainly is something worth probing, and perhaps even a bit of a pattern. Roughly 2-3 years after picking up that Ballon d’Or in Paris, things begin to go inexplicably downhill – and with many still in their footballing primes. Whether it be a bit too much complacency and not working to the degrees of an up-and-coming footballers or simple bad luck (and a cursed metatarsal), something happens.

Still, I’m not sure Lionel Messi’s eventual acceptance speech in the fall can be paraphrased as “No thanks“.

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Category: World Football