A former Real Madrid player claims he should have won the 2010 Ballon d'Or ahead of Messi

Wesley Sneijder has sparked controversy in football. The former Dutch footballer believes that he deserved to have won the 2010 edition of the Ballon d'Or, which was won by Lionel Messi and his two FC Barcelona teammates, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernández. Despite the great performance of the Argentine that season, the former Real Madrid player remains convinced that the victory was his.

It is no secret that the midfielder was one of the best players of his generation. Establishing himself as an undisputed player in teams such as Ajax, Real Madrid and Inter, as well as having a great career in the Netherlands national team. In the 2009/10 season with the Italian team he won almost everything: Serie A, Champions League, Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup, as well as being the best midfielder in the national team tournament and the player with the most assists.

In 2010 he was among the 23 nominees to win the Ballon d'Or, but he did not make it into the final top 3. After Messi was announced as the winner of the award, France Football magazine said that Sneijder would have won the old version of the award, as the magazine's journalists from around the world had chosen Sneijder first, Iniesta second and Xavi third.

Sneijder on the 2010 Ballon d'Or

In an interview with 'FAKT' he answered "yes" when asked if he deserved to win the 2010 Ballon d'Or. "It doesn't matter, history cannot be reversed," Sneijder explained. "Another thing is important: I am constantly asked about this matter. More than a dozen years have passed and many people are still upset by the jury's verdict and feel sorry for me. This in itself is already a great expression of gratitude for me, a great compliment, because it means that for fans and journalists this subject is not dead, but still relevant."

Sneijder added: "In the common opinion, I have the status of a victim. This makes me happy and I don't know if I would actually be happier if I had received the Ballon d'Or. Besides, I honestly admit that what I always dreamed of winning was the Champions League, not the Ballon d'Or, so I still achieved the most important thing." Without a doubt, even though he did not win the recognition, his record is enviable and his presence on the pitch will always be remembered by those who had the pleasure of seeing him play.