Wesley Sneijder’s old comments about losing the 2010 Ballon d’Or to Lionel Messi have returned to the spotlight. The official voting figures reveal a surprising detail about the result.
Sneijder’s Ballon d’Or Robbery Claim Sparks Fresh Debate Over Messi
Wesley Sneijder’s controversial claim that he was robbed of the 2010 Ballon d’Or has returned to the spotlight, with surprising voting figures raising fresh questions about Lionel Messi’s victory.
The former Netherlands midfielder enjoyed an incredible year with Inter Milan and his national team, but finished fourth in the final Ballon d’Or rankings.
His comments from November 2024 are now being shared again, bringing one of football’s biggest award debates back into the news.
Sneijder claims he deserved the 2010 Ballon d’Or
Sneijder played a key role in Inter Milan’s historic treble-winning season under Jose Mourinho in 2010.
The Italian club won Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League.
Sneijder also helped the Netherlands reach the 2010 World Cup final, scoring five goals during the tournament.
Despite those achievements, Messi won the Ballon d’Or.
Speaking in an interview reported in November 2024, Sneijder said:
“They robbed the Ballon d’Or from me in 2010.”
However, the Dutch legend also explained that winning team trophies, especially the Champions League, meant more to him than individual awards.
Surprising voting details reveal Messi finished behind Sneijder
One of the most interesting details comes from the official 2010 voting results.
Sneijder actually finished first among journalists, while Messi ranked only fourth in that voting group.
The journalists’ contributions to the overall vote were:
- Wesley Sneijder: 7.70%
- Andres Iniesta: 7.53%
- Xavi Hernandez: 5.96%
- Lionel Messi: 4.38%
If the award had been decided only by journalists, as under the previous system, Sneijder would have won.
Instead, Messi claimed the trophy with 22.65% of the overall vote, while Sneijder finished fourth with 14.48%.
Why did Messi win despite Sneijder’s lead?
In 2010, the Ballon d’Or merged with FIFA’s World Player of the Year award, changing the voting system.
Alongside journalists, national team captains and coaches were also allowed to vote.
Messi received much stronger support from those two groups, helping him finish ahead of Iniesta, Xavi and Sneijder.
Although the result remains controversial, there is no confirmed evidence that Messi’s victory involved cheating or vote manipulation.
Ballon d’Or 2010 debate continues
More than 15 years later, Sneijder’s incredible 2010 season remains one of the biggest talking points in Ballon d’Or history.
Many supporters believe his achievements with Inter Milan and the Netherlands deserved greater recognition.
Others believe Messi was a worthy winner because of his outstanding individual performances.
The official voting figures explain why the debate continues: Sneijder was the journalists’ favourite, but Messi won under the rules used in 2010.
