If French football celebrates its fifth Ballon d'Or with Ousmane Dembélé, crowned in this year 2025 after Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin and Zinedine Zidane, the Blues could be caught up in a sacred curse … It is a fun statistics that the site offers us Blue chronicles: None of the 17 winners of the Ballon d'Or in the World Cup season won the FIFA Quadrian competition.
The Ballon d'Or has existed since 1956 and Alfredo Di Stéfano, the second winner in 1957, played the 1958 World Cup with Spain for elimination in the first round. The Argentinian naturalized Spanish has played only one World Cup. Same result for the Ballon d'Or 1961 Omar Sivori at the World 62. Eusebio, elected best European player in 1965, did better in 1966 with a semi-final with Portugal and the title of top scorer.
Gianni Rivera, Ballon d'Or 1969, almost won the 1970 World Cup, but could not save Italy when he entered the final game, while Pelé Brazil already led 3-1. Johann Cruyff also missed the mark. Ballon d'Or in title at the 1974 World Cup, the superstar of the Netherlands leads its team to the final but, too confident and even in front of the entrance score, the Oranje are overthrown by Germany.
Benzema, a golden ball almost world champion without playing
After the Danish Alan Simonsen, Ballon d'Or 1977 who did not play the World Cup, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge also lost in the World Cup final in 1982, as a 1981 Golden Ball, against Italy. In 1986, Michel Platini, triple Ballon d'Or in title, sold in the semi-finals with the Blues against West Germany (before a third place). Marco Van Basten, 1989 Ballon d'Or, did not shine like his Batavian selection at the World 90.
Two other reigning golden balls bowed in the final: Roberto Baggio at the World Cup 94, missing his shot against Brazil, as well as Ronaldo, beaten 3-0 by France one evening in July 12, 1998. The Ballon d'Or 2011 Michael Owen only made a quarter of final with England in 2012, while Ronaldinho, By a certain Zinedine Zidane in 2006. Lionel Messi could not do anything against Germany in the quarterfinals in 2010.
Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo disputed two World Cup as a successful golden ball, for elimination in the first round in 2014 and a fatal eighth in Uruguay in 2018. Karim Benzema was the Ballon d'Or at the 2022 World Cup, crowned by France Football A few weeks before the tournament in Qatar. However, victim of a muscular injury, he left the group … without being removed from the list of Blues, who bowed in the final on penalties!
