The announcement of the Ballon d’Or 2024 nominees on Wednesday unveiled a first-time scenario since 2003: neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi made the list. This absence marks a significant change in the landscape of global football. Messi, the Argentine maestro, holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or wins, while the Portuguese icon, Ronaldo, boasts five triumphs. Their dominance defined an era, sparking endless debates about who reigned supreme as the world’s best player.
Their first nominations arrived in 2004 for Ronaldo and 2006 for Messi, respectively. Now, their absence prompts a look back at 2003, the last time the Ballon d’Or unfolded without these two titans. It’s a time capsule of a world before their global domination.
A World Without Messi and Ronaldo
In 2003, the world of sports witnessed a different kind of dominance. MS Dhoni, who would later become India’s most successful captain, hadn’t yet debuted for his national cricket team. Manchester City, now the powerhouse of English football, finished a distant ninth in the Premier League. Jude Bellingham, a current Ballon d’Or frontrunner, was just a baby born in 2003. Barcelona, Messi’s future home, secured a sixth-place finish in La Liga. The Ballon d’Or went to Czech Republic’s Pavel Nedved, defeating Thierry Henry of France, a reminder of a time when other stars shone brightly.
Beyond football, the world of 2003 offered a glimpse of cultural shifts. ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ reigned supreme at the box office, while 50 Cent’s ‘In da Club’ topped the Billboard charts. MySpace emerged as one of the first social media platforms, paving the way for the interconnected world we know today. The ninth season of the beloved sitcom ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S’ concluded, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the final chapter.
In tennis, Roger Federer, now a legend with 20 Grand Slams, was celebrating his first major victory. In the world of Olympic sport, Michael Phelps, who would later claim a record 28 medals, was yet to taste Olympic glory. Tim Montgomery, an American sprinter, held the 100m world record with a time of 9.78s, a record later stripped due to doping violations.
The absence of Messi and Ronaldo from the Ballon d’Or nominations serves as a poignant reminder of how much the world of football has transformed. It’s a chance to look back at a different era, an era before their dominance redefined the game, and appreciate the stars who shone brightly before their arrival.
