To the surprise of many, the France Football magazine prize did not have a winner in 2020.
The 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony was scheduled for Monday, October 30, with Lionel Messi tipped to claim the honor.
The coveted award, which France Football presents, has been dominated in recent years by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the greatest figures in football history. In the years from 2008 through 2023, only Luka Modrić and Karim Benzema managed to break the long-running dominance of the Argentine star and the Portuguese goalscorer.
In 2020, the Ballon d’Or would have seemed likely to go to someone other than Messi or Ronaldo, but the prize remained unawarded after the organizers announced the cancellation. This piece explains the reasons behind that suspension.
THE FINALISTS FOR THE BALLON D’OR 2023
WHY WAS THE 2020 BALLON D’OR CANCELLED?
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The prize, first awarded in 1956, was left without a winner in 2020 as organizers decided to cancel the ceremony due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
2020 proved to be an unusual year for everyone. The pandemic forced competitions to halt worldwide, and France Football determined that it would be unfair to crown a winner given the lack of meaningful competition for players.
For experts, Robert Lewandowski emerged as the major figure of the 2020 Ballon d’Or season, having led Bayern Munich to multiple trophies and scoring goals at every turn.
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Source: Goal