Lionel Messi’s 2010 Ballon d’Or victory remains one of the most debated award decisions in football history. The Argentine superstar enjoyed another extraordinary year, showcasing his incredible goalscoring ability for Barcelona. However, many fans believe Wesley Sneijder deserved the 2010 Ballon d’Or after playing a crucial role in Inter Milan’s historic treble and leading the Netherlands to the FIFA World Cup final.
The controversy centred on two different interpretations of individual excellence. While Messi delivered remarkable individual statistics, Sneijder combined personal performances with team success on both the domestic and international stages. Here is a closer look at why Messi won the award and why Sneijder remains a popular alternative.
1. Wesley Sneijder’s Historic 2009-10 Season With Inter Milan
Sneijder’s strongest argument for winning the 2010 Ballon d’Or was his contribution to one of the greatest seasons in Inter Milan’s history. After joining the Italian club from Real Madrid in August 2009, the Dutch midfielder quickly became the creative heartbeat of José Mourinho’s team.
Inter won the Serie A title, Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League, completing a historic treble. Sneijder was instrumental in the club’s European campaign, providing creativity, vision and decisive contributions against elite opposition.
Wesley Sneijder’s 2009-10 achievements
Serie A: Winner, with Inter finishing top of the league.
Coppa Italia: Winner, helping Inter secure the domestic cup.
Champions League: Winner, defeating Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final.
Champions League statistics: Three goals and six assists, according to UEFA’s competition statistics.
Overall contribution: Played a central role in Inter’s attacking transitions and chance creation.
Sneijder’s performances against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals were particularly significant. Inter eliminated the defending champions 3-2 on aggregate, with Sneijder scoring in the first leg.
His ability to dictate matches, deliver key passes and perform under pressure made him one of the defining midfielders of the season. Unlike a player judged primarily on goals, Sneijder influenced games through his overall playmaking and tactical importance.
2. Wesley Sneijder’s Outstanding 2010 FIFA World Cup
Sneijder strengthened his Ballon d’Or case with an outstanding World Cup campaign in South Africa. The Netherlands reached the final, winning six consecutive matches before losing 1-0 to Spain after extra time.
Sneijder scored five goals during the tournament, finishing joint-top scorer alongside Thomas Müller, David Villa and Diego Forlán. His goals helped the Netherlands overcome difficult opponents, including Brazil in the quarter-finals.
Sneijder’s international achievements in 2010
World Cup final: Helped the Netherlands reach their first final since 1978.
Five goals: Finished among the tournament’s leading goalscorers.
Brazil quarter-final: Scored twice in the Netherlands’ 2-1 comeback victory.
Uruguay semi-final: Scored in the 3-2 win that secured the Netherlands’ place in the final.
Individual recognition: Won the World Cup Silver Boot as one of the tournament’s leading scorers.
The World Cup is often a decisive factor in Ballon d’Or discussions because it brings together the best players on the biggest international stage. Sneijder’s performances, combined with Inter’s treble, gave him a compelling argument for being the standout player of 2010.
3. Lionel Messi’s 2009-10 Season: Why He Won the Ballon d’Or
Despite Sneijder’s trophy haul, Messi’s individual performances were exceptional. The Barcelona forward was arguably the most gifted attacking player in the world, combining prolific goalscoring with dribbling, creativity and an ability to change matches almost single-handedly.
Messi scored 47 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions during the 2009-10 season, matching the best goalscoring campaign of his career at that point. He also won the European Golden Shoe after scoring 34 goals in La Liga.
Messi’s key achievements
La Liga: Won the league title with Barcelona in 2009-10.
Goalscoring: Scored 34 league goals and 47 across all competitions during the season.
Champions League: Finished as the competition’s top scorer with eight goals.
Individual recognition: Continued to establish himself as the world’s leading attacking player.
Messi’s individual statistics were arguably superior to Sneijder’s, particularly in terms of goalscoring consistency. However, Barcelona were eliminated by Inter in the Champions League semi-finals, meaning Messi did not win Europe’s biggest club competition that season.
Argentina’s World Cup campaign also proved disappointing. Messi failed to score in South Africa as Argentina were eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals, losing 4-0.
Although Messi’s overall performances remained outstanding, critics questioned whether individual statistics should outweigh Sneijder’s extraordinary collection of trophies and international achievements.
4. Messi vs Sneijder: Who Had the Better Case?
1. Major club trophies in 2009-10: Messi won La Liga with Barcelona, while Sneijder won the Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan.
2. Champions League goals: Messi scored eight goals in the competition, finishing as its top scorer. Sneijder scored three goals while helping Inter win the trophy.
3. 2010 FIFA World Cup: Messi and Argentina were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Germany, whereas Sneijder helped the Netherlands reach the final.
4. World Cup goals: Messi finished the tournament without scoring, while Sneijder scored five goals and finished among the joint-top scorers.
5. Playing style: Messi excelled as a prolific goalscorer and dribbler, while Sneijder operated as a creative midfielder and playmaker, controlling attacks and creating chances.
6. Biggest argument for the Ballon d’Or: Messi’s case rested on his individual brilliance and outstanding statistics. Sneijder’s case centred on Inter’s historic treble and the Netherlands’ World Cup final run.
The comparison reveals why the debate remains so fascinating. Messi was the more prolific goalscorer and arguably the most technically gifted footballer in the world. Sneijder, meanwhile, delivered decisive performances for club and country while collecting major honours.
Importantly, Messi’s eight Champions League goals were an individual achievement, but Sneijder’s influence helped Inter win the tournament. Their contributions were different, making the final decision dependent on how voters valued individual statistics against collective success.
5. Why Was the 2010 Ballon d’Or Result So Controversial?
The controversy intensified because the 2010 award was presented under the newly merged FIFA Ballon d’Or format, which combined the traditional France Football award with FIFA’s World Player of the Year recognition.
Messi won with 22.65% of the vote, ahead of Barcelona teammates Andrés Iniesta, who received 17.36%, and Xavi, who received 16.48%. Sneijder finished fourth with 14.48%.
Many observers expected Sneijder to finish higher because of his treble-winning season and World Cup performances. Iniesta also had a strong international case after scoring Spain’s winning goal in the World Cup final, while Xavi was instrumental in Barcelona’s domestic success and Spain’s midfield dominance.
Nevertheless, the voting system rewarded more than trophies alone. Voters considered individual performances, overall influence and their assessments of the best player. Messi’s extraordinary consistency and reputation clearly resonated with the electorate.
Another source of debate was the difference between the calendar-year award and the European football season. Sneijder’s achievements were particularly concentrated in the first half of 2010, whereas Messi’s brilliance extended across multiple competitions and continued into the following season.
Conclusion: Did Wesley Sneijder Deserve the 2010 Ballon d’Or?
Lionel Messi was a deserving winner based on his extraordinary individual talent and goalscoring record. However, Wesley Sneijder had a compelling argument for the 2010 Ballon d’Or, thanks to Inter’s historic treble and the Netherlands’ run to the World Cup final.
Had the award placed greater emphasis on trophies, decisive performances and international achievements, Sneijder might have finished first. Ultimately, the controversy illustrates the difficulty of comparing individual brilliance with team success.
Messi’s victory was not undeserved, but Sneijder’s fourth-place finish continues to fuel one of football’s most enduring Ballon d’Or debates.
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