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The Golden Ball 2019 ceremony saw Lionel Messi being rewarded for the sixth time in his career. Sadio Mané, who was among the favorites after his great year, finished at the foot of the podium. Since George Weah's coronation in 1995, no African footballer has managed to get on the podium.
From our special correspondent in Paris,
With the Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the Algerian Riyad Mahrez, the Egyptian Mohamed Salah and the Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly and Sadio Mané, the African continent had never been so represented among the finalists of the Ballon d'Or as in this edition 2019.
In 1995, they were certainly six, but only the Liberian George Weah , elected Ballon d'Or, the Nigerian Finidi George (21st) and the Ghanaian Anthony Yeboah (23rd) had received points. Nigerians Daniel Amokachi and Jay-Jay Okocha and Chadian Japhet N'Doram did not receive any points.
However, it is not this year that "Mister George" will see an African succeed him. The man who has since become president of Liberia will remain, for at least another year, the only footballer on the continent to have raised the Ballon d'Or. He remains the only African to be on the podium.
Mané equals Drogba, but his fans are annoyed
Didier Drogba, master of ceremonies at the Théâtre du Châtelet, was the one who had come closest to it so far. In 2007, the Ivorian ranked 4th. From now on, the Elephant is no longer alone. Mohamed Salah progresses (5th while he was 6th in 2018), but it is not the Pharaoh who equal the performance of Didier Drogba. No, this honor is for his teammate Sadio Mané.
The Senegalese, who placed 23rd in 2017 and 22nd in 2018, made a nice jump to 4th place. A remarkable performance, but still disappointing in the eyes of his many supporters who were pressed near the Théâtre du Châtelet Monday.
Flags of Senegal, jerseys of Lions of Teranga: the few fans of vice-champions of Africa and the Liverpool player had equipped themselves as it was necessary to show their support. And even if they are happy to laugh with the onlookers who applaud the guests leaving the Théâtre du Châtelet, they do not hide their disappointment after this 4th place taken by their darling, who did not come for the ceremony.
« Sadio Mané Golden Ball, Diamond Ball, International Balloon! He really deserved it! We are disgusted, we had to give it to him , "Kalidou repeated at RFI's microphone. " Messi did nothing in the Champions League ," added Momo. It must be believed that the individual performances of the Argentine have more convinced the jury composed of 180 journalists from around the world.
Votes dispersed between Van Dijk, Mané and Salah
Also ahead of Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané has the same misadventure as Wesley Sneijder, Andrès Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Manuel Neuer and Franck Ribery over the last ten years: we can shine a thousand lights, but it is difficult to make a place at the top of the Golden Ball behind these monsters that are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Even when they go through a season not very brilliant collectively, the Argentinian and the Portuguese manage to take their game of the game.
Another phenomenon probably hurt Sadio Mané as well as Virgil van Dijk: the bursting of the voices between the Liverpool players. They were 7 of the 30 finalists. Georginio Wijnaldum (26th), Trent Alexander-Arnold (19th) and Roberto Firmino (17th) were not expected particularly high in the standings. It was certain that Alisson Becker would do a good job without interfering with the fight for the coronation; he finished 7th.
On the other hand, Mohamed Salah was seen as an outsider (his small progression compared to 2018 proves it), while Sadio Mané and Virgil van Dijk were among the favorites. This is the risk when a club - Liverpool in this case - realizes a season as beautiful relying above all on a collective composed of some strong individualities: when awarding the Ballon d'Or, the votes split themselves rather than going to a single candidate.
For comparison, among the players of FC Barcelona in the 2018-2019 season named at the Ballon d'Or (without De Jong and Griezmann so), there are only two players: Lionel Messi, at the very top, and Marc-André ter Stegen much lower (24th).
Weah always alone in the world
In the end, the questions remain and the debates remain divided: should the Ballon d'Or reward the best player in the world or the most brilliant player on the brightest team? In 2018, the jury seemed to have decided for the second option in Sacred Luka Modric. This year, it is rather the first option that has been preferred, the brilliant Messi having been elected before the excellent Van Dijk and Mané.
The Senegalese far surpasses the previous best mark set by his compatriots Papa Bouba Diop and El-Hadji Diouf (21st in 2001). But the summit of the Ballon d'Or and the succession of the iconic George Weah still seem far away.
THE AFRICANS THE BEST CLASSES OF THE GOLDEN BALLOON
1st: George Weah (Liberia) in 1995
4th: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) in 2007
5th: Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) in 2009 and Mohamed Salah (Egypt) in 2019
6th: Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) in 2006 and Mohamed Salah (Egypt) in 2018
7th: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) in 2016
8th: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) in 2008 and Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) in 2011
9th: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) in 2009
10th: Samuel Eto'o (Cameron) in 2005 and Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) in 2019
11th: Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria) in 1996, Frédéric Kanouté (Mali) in 2007 and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon) in 2016
12th: George Weah (Liberia) in 1996, Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) in 2010 and Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast) in 2012, 2013 and 2015
14th: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) in 2005 and Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast) in 2014
15th: Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) in 2004
17th: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) in 2004 and Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) in 2008
18th: Asamoah Gyan (Ghana) in 2010
20th: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon) in 2019
21st: Papa Bouba Diop (Senegal) and El-Hadji Diouf (Senegal) in 2002
22nd: Michael Essien (Ghana) in 2005 and Sadio Mané (Senegal) in 2018
23rd: Sadio Mané (Senegal) in 2017
24th: Michael Essien (Ghana) in 2007 and Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal) in 2019
28th: Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast) in 2009
30th: Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) in 2007