Messi and Ronaldos on the All-Time Greats List, but No Maradona — Why?
Legends never die — this age-old saying always comes up when Diego Maradona is discussed. The 2020-departed legend's 'Goal of the Century,' the 'Hand of God,' and his World Cup triumph are still talked about. Yet the 1986 World Cup-winning Argentine great's name is missing from one list, even though stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are on it.
On October 26, London will host the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony. The winner will be chosen by a public vote. On the nominee list of all-time Ballon d'Or winners are Messi, the two Ronaldos, and Marco van Basten. But Maradona is absent.
The organizers have explained the reason: under France Football's new rule, a nominee must have won the Ballon d'Or at least twice. The 1986 World Cup-winning Argentine legend never won the award even once.
But was Maradona never worthy of the prize? To answer that, one must return to his golden era — between 1986 and 1990 he was unquestionably the best footballer in the world.
In 1986, though Napoli finished third in the league, Maradona led Argentina from the front to the title at the World Cup in Mexico. Undoubtedly, he could have won the best-player award that year.
But beating the Argentine captain to the prize, Ukrainian footballer Igor Belanov won the Ballon d'Or that year. He played for the then-Soviet Union national team as well as Dynamo Kyiv. His club also won the European Cup Winners' Cup that year.
Maradona also enjoyed a splendid season in 1987, winning both Serie A and the Coppa Italia. But the Ballon d'Or went to Ruud Gullit, who produced outstanding performances for PSV Eindhoven as the club won the Netherlands' Eredivisie league title.
In 1988, Marco van Basten won the Ballon d'Or. Winning Serie A with AC Milan and the European Championship with the Netherlands played an important role in his victory. That year Maradona became the league's top scorer with 15 goals, while Napoli finished runners-up.
In football history, Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record eight times. Ronaldo, second on that list, has won it five times. Like Van Basten, Michel Platini and Johan Cruyff have won it three times each. Brazil's Ronaldo and Germany's Franz Beckenbauer won it twice each.
So Maradona's absence from the nominees' list of all-time Ballon d'Or winners does not diminish his greatness — it is merely the result of a formal criterion. Not being a two-time winner, his name did not make the list.
Yet there is no debate about his place in football history. His feat of virtually single-handedly carrying a team to the 1986 World Cup title will keep him an immortal hero forever.
Excitement among football fans is at its peak ahead of the October 26 ceremony. But supporters will keep asking — why is the name of the man who ranks among the all-time greats without ever winning the Ballon d'Or not on the nominees' list?
