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- Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the Ballon d’Or awards for many years
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José Mourinho has denied that one of his former Inter Milan stars was ‘stolen’ with the Ballon d’Or in 2010.
The former AS Roma coach had been speaking for the first time since being sacked, sitting down with Rio Ferdinand and YouTube channel co-host Stephen Howson to discuss a range of topics.
While areas included his inability to weed out bad eggs during his time as Manchester United manager and a prediction of who the Premier League and Champions League winners would be, the Portuguese manager also took the time to talk about one of his former players.
Mourinho made history in the 2009-10 season when he lifted the Champions League title with Inter Milan, a team anchored by the Dutchman Wesley Sneijder who also tried Serie A and the Coppa Italia.
But the midfielder fell short in the Ballon d’Or standings, finishing fourth behind Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi. For Mourinho, however, that was not a problem, as he explained in FIVE.
José Mourinho (right) has denied that Wesley Sneijder (left) was robbed of the Ballon d’Or in 2010.
Sneijder lifted the Champions League with Inter in 2010 under Mourinho
The team won the Treble that year, also lifting the Serie A and Coppa Italia trophies.
Sneijder reached the World Cup final with the Netherlands, but lost in extra time to winners Spain.
“I don’t like to say I was robbed,” Mourinho said. ‘Who won it, Messi? So I wasn’t robbed.
“But Wesley got the treble, won the Champions League and I think the World Cup final that same season.” “So Wesley should be at least in the top three, but when, in the last generation, Cristiano (Ronaldo) and Messi win the Ballon d’Or, it is never stolen.”
Messi has won eight Ballon d’Ors in his career, earning his last and likely final one in 2023, ahead of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé.
Ronaldo has won five, including in 2013, when he played under Mourinho for about six months.
One of the two men has won 13 of the last 15 awards, meaning it has been difficult for other players to break the mold; However, it is likely to enter a new era with Messi now playing in the MLS and Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League. .
Mourinho spoke for the first time since losing his job as AS Roma coach last month.
He worked with five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo (left) for three years at Real Madrid.
Lionel Messi won the award in 2010 instead of Sneijder, winning it a record eight times.
Meanwhile, Mourinho was arguably at the peak of his powers with Inter, but left in 2010 following his success with the club to take charge of Ronaldo’s Madrid.
He returned to Chelsea and coached Manchester United and Tottenham in the Premier League, before taking charge of Roma, a position he lost in mid-January.
