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Andriy Shevchenko won, but many argued Thierry Henry (Invincibles) or Deco (Champions League winner) deserved it more.
Wesley Sneijder won the Treble with Inter Milan and reached the World Cup final, yet failed to make the top 3. Messi won despite a poor World Cup.
Franck Ribéry was the standout player in Bayern's historic Treble, but Cristiano Ronaldo won after a voting extension was granted.
Luka Modrić ended the 10-year Messi-Ronaldo reign after carrying Croatia to the World Cup final, though some fans argued Ronaldo's stats were superior.
Robert Lewandowski had a historic season with Bayern Munich, but France Football controversially cancelled the award due to COVID-19.
Messi won his 7th award, but many felt Lewandowski was robbed again, carrying over his incredible form from 2020.