Cristiano and Messi would each have one Ballon d'Or less
If only the journalists had voted in 2010 Sneijder would have won, with Messi fourth. In 2013 Ribery would have won instead of CristianoCopa del Rey live:Quarter Final Draw
Ronaldo and Messi would have one Ballon d'Or less
Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi would each have one less Ballon d'Or if the competition's original voting process, soon to be reinstated, had applied in 2010 and 2013.
Change in Ballon d'Or voting rules
Since the Ballon d'Or's creation in 1956 until it merged with the Fifa World Player award in 2010, only journalists voted for the best player in the world. In 2010 Fifa added the votes of the coaches and captains of the national sides of the 209 countries affiliated to Fifa. With Fifa leaving the Ballon d'Or the old voting rules are to be reinstated.
If only the journalists votes had counted, then both Barcelona's Leo Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo would each lose one of their Ballon d'Ors. Messi has five (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015) while Ronaldo has three (2008, 2013 and 2014).
Sneijder not Messi would have won in 2010
In 2010 the player most voted for by the journalists was Sneijder and not Messi. Sneijder won the Champions League that year with Inter and was runner-up in the World Cup with Holland. He got 293 points from the journalists. Iniesta was second on 291, while Xavi was third on 229. Messi only ranked fourth on the votes from the press, though he won the competition with all the votes taken into account. Both Iniesta and Xavi, who guided Spain to the World Cup had been seen as contenders for the crown.
2013 Ballon d'Or would have been for Ribèry
And in 2013 Ribèry, who won everything with Bayern, would have won the Ballon d'Or had it just been decided on the votes from the press. Ribèry picked up 524 points from the journalists, ahead of actual winner Cristiano Ronaldo on 399 and Messi's 364. In August 2013 Ribèry did win the UEFA Best Player in Europe award, but he lost out on the Ballon d'Or to Ronaldo.
