The most prestigious award in football has been canceled with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo set to miss out on the Ballon d’Or this year, MySportDab reports
In an announcement by the award organizers France Football stated it was due to the coronavirus pandemic and football break.
The likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will have to do without fighting for the award this year.
A most sort after Golden Ball has been handed out to the best player on the planet since 1956.
However the decision has been taken that it would not be right to pick out a best player.
With the given circumstances in which professional sport is currently being played out.
That means 2019 winner Messi will keep his crown for another 12 months before a winner will be announced.
The Barcelona superstar has six Ballons d’Or to his name while Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus boasting five.
Two all time football greats would have been expected to come into contention again in 2020.
With the likes of Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski and Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
France Football said in a statement on their official website:
“For the first time in its history, which began in 1956, the Ballon d’Or will not be awarded in 2020, due to the lack of sufficient fair conditions.
“Messi and Rapinoe as well as Mattijs de Ligt and Alisson, winners of the Kopa and Yachine Trophies for young player and goalkeeper will have to wait a year.
The winners of the last edition will have no successors at the end of the year.
Because there will be no Ballon d’Or 2020 edition.
“Why? Because such a singular year cannot and should not be treated as an ordinary year.
When in doubt, it is better to abstain than to persist.
“Because the Ballon d’Or trophy conveys other values like exemplarity, solidarity and responsibility, rather than merely sporting excellence alone.
“Because the fairness that prevails for this honorary title could not be preserved, in particular at the statistical level.
And also in the preparation since all the aspirants to the award could not be rightly compared.
some having seen their season cut radically short, others not.
So how can we compare the incomparable?
“Because of our approximately 220 jurors men and women combined distributed around the world.
Some may have been distracted or diverted from their observation due to other priorities and emergencies to manage.
“We did not want to put an indelible asterisk on the prize list like “trophy won in exceptional circumstances due to the Covid-19 health crisis”.
We will always prefer a small sprain to our history to a large scar.
“This is the first time since 1956 that the Ballon d’Or has taken a break.
The situation does not enchant us but seems to us the most responsible and logical decision.
Protecting the credibility and legitimacy of such an award also means protecting it over time.
“The Ballon d’Or story is too precious to take the risk of damaging it with a wobbly exercise.
In these turbulent times, taking a break is a luxury and an invaluable necessity.
So that football, as a whole, regains momentum, passion and emotion.
