International
Seven Ballon d’Or disputes that still define the award
A look at the Ballon d’Or’s most disputed decisions, from early exclusions to modern outrage.
The Ballon d’Or was created in the mid-1950s by writers Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran as a journalistic prize for the best European player in Europe. What began as a straightforward honour has become one of football’s most argued-over awards, with every era producing its own flashpoints.
By 2026, the contest sits in a different world. The Messi-Ronaldo period and the wider rise of individual acclaim have only intensified the debate, with stars such as Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal now openly seeking votes. Yet the award has never been decided unanimously, and its history is crowded with choices that have baffled observers.
The early rules left out the world’s great non-Europeans until 1995, which means names such as Pelé, Diego Maradona, Mario Kempes and Romário do not appear among the winners. The inconsistencies did not stop there, as players such as Alfredo Di Stefano and Omar Sívori were eligible through dual citizenship.
Kevin Keegan’s 1978 win remains one of the oddest, especially when set against the year he had, while Kenny Dalglish finished only eighth despite 31 goals and a European Cup final winner. More recently, Erling Haaland’s 52 goals in 53 games during Manchester City’s treble season still were not enough to prevent Lionel Messi taking the prize.
The 2010 vote also caused lasting frustration. Messi profited from split support between Andrés Iniesta and Xavi, while Wesley Sneijder, central to José Mourinho’s treble-winning Inter Milan side and the Netherlands’ run to the World Cup final, ended up fourth. Diego Milito, despite a major season, was not even nominated.
Michael Owen’s 2001 success is still disputed, with Raúl’s La Liga dominance prompting the headline “Stolen Ballon d’Or” in Spain. In 2003, Pavel Nedvěd beat Thierry Henry, who had become the first player to reach 20 league goals and 20 assists in a Premier League season.
The 1960 result also drew scrutiny, as Luís Suárez prevailed while Ferenc Puskás finished second despite 47 goals in 36 games. More recently, Vinícius Jr being passed over for Rodri led to Madrid’s boycott of the Paris ceremony and a pointed statement from the club.
International
USMNT omissions: the most valuable players left out for November
Pochettino’s November USMNT squad leaves out several high-value names despite recall for some regulars.
Mauricio Pochettino has taken a youthful approach for the United States men’s national team’s November fixtures against Haiti, but the latest squad still leaves out several established and high-value names.
Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie are back in the group after being rested in the previous international break, yet the 25-man roster does not include Ricardo Pepi. The PSV Eindhoven striker has only just returned from injury, appearing in each of his club’s last three matches after a month out, and Pochettino said the omission is linked to a need for more recovery time.
Pepi is the highest-valued player missing from the squad, and Brenden Aaronson is another notable absence. The Leeds United midfielder is not sidelined by injury, but has been left out after an inconsistent spell that has seen him start only three Premier League games this season.
Johnny Cardoso and Timothy Weah, both valued at $22.3 million, also miss out. Cardoso had only recently returned from a thigh injury and featured against Barcelona on Sunday, which explains his exclusion. Weah, by contrast, has been omitted despite contributing several goal involvements recently for Marseille.
Yunus Musah will end the calendar year on 50 caps after another snub. The AC Milan midfielder has started eight Serie A matches this season, but has not done enough to win a recall.
There is no place either for Josh Sargent or Haji Wright. Sargent has been left out, while Wright has missed the entire current campaign with a muscle injury and is still awaiting his comeback.
Zavier Gozo has made only three appearances for Crystal Palace since his summer move, so his omission is no surprise. Aidan Morris, however, is a tougher call after an encouraging start at Middlesbrough. Tanner Tessmann is also absent despite starting Lyon’s last four matches, and he has not played for the USMNT since April.
International
Rashford omitted as Tuchel names England group for November break
Tuchel leaves Rashford out as England prepare for decisive November internationals.
Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his 25-man England squad for the November international break, and Marcus Rashford is not part of it.
There had been an expectation that the Manchester United winger might return to the group, but his name was missing when the squad was announced on Friday. Rashford has featured for United since the last international window, coming off the bench for one minute in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and then starting the 2-0 loss to Atlético Madrid. He has not been involved since.
The reason is his ongoing hip issue, which has now kept him out of United’s last four matches in all competitions. With doubts still hanging over his fitness, Tuchel has opted to go in another direction for England’s crucial Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain.
Rashford is understood to be stepping up his recovery, but reports indicate he will not be ready to play until after the international break. That has left England looking to alternative wide options, with Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze, Barcelona’s Anthony Gordon, Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha and Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers included instead.
England’s situation in Group 3 leaves little margin for error after the loss to Spain in the previous break. Tuchel’s side are locked in a direct battle with Croatia for second place, and a draw would be enough to secure that position. There is still a route to first as well, though it depends on England overturning Spain. The Three Lions are currently four goals better off than the world champions.
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), James Trafford (Leeds United)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Inter Milan), Ben White (Arsenal)
Chelsea
Martínez details lasting damage from finger injury and jaw setback
Martínez says his finger injury is permanent and explains why a transfer collapsed after the World Cup.
Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has explained the scale of the injuries that have marked the last few months of his career, saying he will never fully close his right hand again after suffering a fractured ring finger during the 2026 World Cup period.
Martínez said the problem began in the Europa League final, when the finger detached and later proved to be broken in half. The former Aston Villa goalkeeper recalled being in tears when he saw the scan, fearing he would not make it to the World Cup. Rather than undergo surgery, he and Argentina’s medical staff chose a different route. He played with a plastic cast, heavy bandaging and a special glove made by adidas, with the finger put back into place and protected throughout the tournament.
The decision allowed him to start every match of Argentina’s run, though he admitted the injury limited him badly. Even on the eve of Argentina’s opener against Algeria, he said he was “diving like a zombie, with just one arm.” He also revealed he trained with a volleyball for most of the competition. Despite that, the finger still prevented a move to a Serie A club, believed to be Juventus, after the World Cup. Martínez said the transfer collapsed when a fresh X-ray showed the finger had broken again.
He eventually completed a move to Chelsea in the final hours of the summer window, but another setback followed soon after. Seven games into his Chelsea career, he collided with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite while attempting to claim a free kick. The impact left him with a broken jaw and concussion, and he has no memory of the incident.
“I preferred the jaw than the head to be honest,” Martínez said. “It was one of the most beautiful knockouts, in the UFC that would’ve been the knockout of the night. I saw birds flying around for many days honestly.”
Martínez required four screws in his jaw and is still unable to eat purées. Reflecting on the twin injuries, he said the finger remained the worse problem.
