Jump To: The working out ALGERIA ANGOLA ARGENTINA AUSTRALIA AUSTRIA AZERBAIJAN BANGLADESH BARBADOS BELGIUM BOLIVIA BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA BRAZIL BULGARIA BURUNDI CAMEROON CANADA CHAD CHINA COLOMBIA COOK ISLANDS COSTA RICA CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC DENMARK DR CONGO EGYPT EL SALVADOR ENGLAND ESTONIA ETHIOPIA FAROE ISLANDS FINLAND FRANCE GAMBIA GERMANY GHANA GREECE HUNGARY ICELAND INDIA INDONESIA IRAN ISRAEL ITALY JAPAN JORDAN KENYA KOSOVO LEBANON LIBERIA LIBYA MACAU MADAGASCAR MALAWI MALAYSIA MEXICO MONTENEGRO MOROCCO NAMIBIA NETHERLANDS NEW ZEALAND NICARAGUA NIGERIA NORTHERN IRELAND NORWAY OMAN PAKISTAN PERU PHILIPPINES POLAND PORTUGAL QATAR REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ROMANIA RUSSIA RWANDA SAUDI ARABIA SCOTLAND SENEGAL SERBIA SIERRA LEONE SINGAPORE SLOVAKIA SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH KOREA SPAIN SURINAME SWEDEN SWITZERLAND TANZANIA TRINIDAD & TOBAGO TUNISIA TURKEY UGANDA UKRAINE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES USA VENEZUELA VIETNAM WALES ZIMBABWECopy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterIn July 2020, France Football made the decision to cancel the Ballon d'Or due to disruptions caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic.Ligue 1 had cancelled the remainder of its season early in April, while the Premier League, LaLiga, and Bundesliga resumed after months of delay. France Football argued that comparing players across leagues with vastly different season lengths and match counts would be unfair.Competitions like the Champions League had to switch to single-leg knockout tournaments behind closed doors, changing standard evaluation conditions. The temporary introduction of five substitutes per match and postponed summer international tournaments like Euro 2020 and Copa America further altered the landscape.And the winner was...Rather than hold the traditional journalist vote, France Football replaced the 2020 award with the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. An international jury voted for an all-time best XI in football history instead of a player of the year.But heres the thing, FourFourTwo, held the vote anyway... You may like Sadio Manes Ballon d'Or shortlisting shows why fans shouldnt take the award seriously 'Kylian Mbappe is the greatest threat to Harry Kane's Ballon d'Or success' Ruud Gullit issues Bayern Munich star a Galactico warning Ranked! The 100 best football players of all time At the end of 2020, FourFourTwo undertook the huge task of polling football journalists ourselves to reveal who the true winner of the Asterix Ballon d'Or was.An in-house shortlist was created consisting of the 30 players who had had the best season. This was then passed to 101 football journalists from 101 nations, across six continents. Each picked their top five players for 2020.If you recall, the Ballon d'Or's voting format changed in 2022, but prior to that, the system was: one journalist from over 100 different FIFA member nations picked their top five from a 30-man shortlist, with their picks earning 6, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point(s) respectively.FourFourTwo's 30-man 2020 shortlistAlissonTrent Alexander-ArnoldKarim BenzemaAlphonso DaviesKevin De BruyneAngel Di MariaBruno FernandesSerge GnabryLeon GoretzkaErling HaalandJordan HendersonCiro ImmobileHarry KaneJoshua KimmichRobert LewandowskiRomelu LukakuSadio ManeMarquinhosLionel MessiKylian MbappeThomas MullerManuel NeuerNeymarSergio RamosAndrew RobertsonCristiano RonaldoMohamed SalahSon Heung-minThiago AlcantaraVirgil van DijkThe resultsIn what was an open-and-shut case, FourFourTwo proved Lewandowski won the 2020 Ballon d'Or with 561 points. Interestingly, the 441-point gap between Lewandowski and 2nd place (Kevin De Bruyne) would've broken the record for the biggest winning margin, beating the 429-point gap Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2016 Ballon d'Or by.Petition to remove the 2020 asterix, Your Honour, as per the evidence below: What to read next Quiz! Can you name every Premier League player nominated for the Ballon d'Or since 2000? World Cup 2026 Golden Boot power rankings: Can Lionel Messi top the scoring charts? Lionel Messi may be undisputed greatest of all time after breaking World Cup record - but that's besides the point 1 Robert Lewandowski (561 points)2 Kevin De Bruyne (120 points)3 Sadio Mane (113 points)4 Lionel Messi (101 points)5 Cristiano Ronaldo (98 points)6 Manuel Neuer (69 points)7 Virgil van Dijk (67 points)8 Kylian Mbappe (64 points)9 Joshua Kimmich (59 points)10 Neymar (48 points)11 Erling Haaland (43 points)12 Mohamed Salah (42 points)13 Thomas Muller (36 points)14 Sergio Ramos (27 points)15= Thiago Alcantara (23 points)15= Serge Gnabry (23 points)17 Ciro Immobile (21 points)18 Son Heung-min (18 points)19 Alphonso Davies (15 points)20 Romelu Lukaku (14 points)21 Trent Alexander-Arnold (13 points)22 Karim Benzema (11 points)23 Bruno Fernandes (10 points)24 Alisson (7 points)25 Marquinhos (4 points)26= Leon Goretzka (3 points)26= Andrew Robertson (3 points)28 Harry Kane (2 points)29 Jordan Henderson (1 point)30 Angel Di Maria (0 points) The working outSee in full how each journalist from all the nations voted. Spare a thought for poor Angel Di Maria the only man to get nil points. Curiously, four on the panel felt Robert Lewandowski deserved zilch. Tough crowd... ALGERIA Maher Mezahi FreelanceRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneManuel NeuerSadio ManNeymar ANGOLA Ivan Capuepue FreelanceRobert LewandowskiCiro ImmobileSadio ManErling HaalandSon Heung-min ARGENTINA Martin Mazur FreelanceRobert LewandowskiThomas MullerVirgil van DijkLionel MessiCristiano Ronaldo AUSTRALIA James Dampney FinderVirgil van DijkRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneManuel NeuerTrent Alexander-Arnold AUSTRIA Thomas Middler The Other BundesligaRobert LewandowskiErling HaalandAlissonSerge GnabryKevin De Bruyne AZERBAIJAN Rasi Movsumzadeh FreelanceRobert LewandowskiManuel NeuerSerge GnabrySadio ManErling Haaland BANGLADESH Mehedi Sujan New AgeRobert LewandowskiLionel MessiMohamed SalahKevin De BruyneManuel Neuer BARBADOS Renaldo Gilkes Loop NewsRobert LewandowskiCiro ImmobileSergio RamosCristiano RonaldoRomelu Lukaku BELGIUM Samindra Kunti FreelanceRobert LewandowskiSadio ManJoshua KimmichErling HaalandRomelu Lukaku BOLIVIA Paola Perez FreelanceRobert LewandowskiNeymarLionel MessiManuel NeuerJoshua Kimmich BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Sasa Ibrulj FreelanceRobert LewandowskiSadio ManKylian MbappeCristiano RonaldoThiago Alcantara BRAZIL Mauricio Savarese APRobert LewandowskiNeymarTrent Alexander-ArnoldSerge GnabryKevin De Bruyne BULGARIA Metodi Shumanov FreelanceRobert LewandowskiVirgil van DijkSerge GnabrySadio ManRomelu Lukaku BURUNDI Elvis Iradukunda BETVManuel NeuerRobert LewandowskiSadio ManKylian MbappeCristiano Ronaldo CAMEROON Njie Enow CRTVRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneSadio ManVirgil van DijkLionel Messi CANADA Kiyan Sobhani FreelanceRobert LewandowskiLionel MessiKevin De BruyneCristiano RonaldoNeymar CHAD Nesta Yamgoto TchadinfosRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneCristiano RonaldoKarim BenzemaNeymar CHINA Jiang Mengxi CGTNRobert LewandowskiMohamed SalahKylian MbappeKevin De BruyneJoshua Kimmich COLOMBIA Carl Worswick FreelanceRobert LewandowskiLionel MessiNeymarSadio ManErling Haaland COOK ISLANDS Rashneel Kumar Cook Islands NewsRobert LewandowskiLionel MessiCristiano RonaldoThomas MullerKarim Benzema COSTA RICA Rodrigo Calvo Buzon De RodrigoRobert LewandowskiJoshua KimmichLionel MessiKevin De BruyneMarquinhos CROATIA Ivan Tomic FreelanceRobert LewandowskiNeymarAndrew RobertsonManuel NeuerSergio Ramos CZECH REPUBLIC Karel Haring FreelanceRobert LewandowskiCristiano RonaldoKevin De BruyneErling HaalandTrent Alexander-Arnold DENMARK Johan Lyngholm-Bjerge FreelanceRobert LewandowskiVirgil van DijkKylian MbappeLionel MessiCristiano Ronaldo DR CONGO Michel Tobo foot.cdRobert LewandowskiKylian MbappeCiro ImmobileLionel MessiSerge Gnabry EGYPT Marwan Saeed FreelanceRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneVirgil van DijkMohamed SalahBruno Fernandes EL SALVADOR Claudio Martinez Pencho y Aida FMRobert LewandowskiManuel NeuerLionel MessiCiro ImmobileSergio Ramos ENGLAND Chris Flanagan FourFourTwoRobert LewandowskiSadio ManKevin De BruyneNeymarErling Haaland ESTONIA Angelo Palmeri FreelanceRobert LewandowskiRomelu LukakuCiro ImmobileErling HaalandMohamed Salah ETHIOPIA Haileegziabher Adhanom SuperSportRobert LewandowskiSadio ManCristiano RonaldoLionel MessiKevin De Bruyne FAROE ISLANDS Trondur Arge SosialurinRobert LewandowskiLionel MessiCristiano RonaldoKevin De BruyneThomas Muller FINLAND Joonas Partanen IltalehtiRobert LewandowskiCristiano RonaldoJoshua KimmichBruno FernandesErling Haaland FRANCE Fabien Fougeray CANAL+Robert LewandowskiThiago AlcantaraSon Heung-minErling HaalandTrent Alexander-Arnold GAMBIA Momodou Bah CAFOnlineRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneSadio ManBruno FernandesManuel Neuer GERMANY Jonathan Harding DW SportsRobert LewandowskiJoshua KimmichErling HaalandLeon GoretzkaManuel Neuer GHANA Bernard Neequaye Daily GraphicRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneKylian MbappeSadio ManTrent Alexander-Arnold GREECE Vasilis Sambrakos gazzetta.grRobert LewandowskiJoshua KimmichManuel NeuerThomas MullerKevin De Bruyne HUNGARY Gyorgy Szollosi FourFourTwo HungaryRobert LewandowskiKylian MbappeJoshua KimmichCristiano RonaldoManuel Neuer ICELAND Johann Sigurdsson FreelanceRobert LewandowskiCristiano RonaldoLionel MessiKevin De BruyneVirgil van Dijk INDIA Mihir Vasavda Indian ExpressRobert LewandowskiKylian MbappeKevin De BruyneSadio ManJoshua Kimmich INDONESIA Tio Prasetyo Box2BoxRobert LewandowskiBruno FernandesVirgil van DijkAlphonso DaviesTrent Alexander-Arnold IRAN Babak Golriz Sport360Robert LewandowskiLionel MessiKevin De BruyneKarim BenzemaSadio Man ISRAEL Michael Yokhin FreelanceThomas MullerRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneJoshua KimmichTrent Alexander-Arnold ITALY Emanuele Giulianelli FreelanceRobert LewandowskiThomas MullerKylian MbappeMohamed SalahCristiano Ronaldo JAPAN Koki Harada Tokyo ChunichiRobert LewandowskiVirgil van DijkCristiano RonaldoSon Heung-minCiro Immobile JORDAN Mohammed Awaad AlroeyaRobert LewandowskiSadio ManLionel MessiKylian MbappeRomelu Lukaku KENYA Charles Nyende NationRobert LewandowskiCristiano RonaldoSerge GnabryLionel MessiKarim Benzema KOSOVO Bajram Shala RTV 21Robert LewandowskiSergio RamosSadio ManJoshua KimmichKylian Mbappe LEBANON Mohamed Fawaz AlmustaqbalRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneCristiano RonaldoLionel MessiMohamed Salah LIBERIA Anthony Kokoi KMTVRobert LewandowskiCristiano RonaldoLionel MessiSergio RamosKylian Mbappe LIBYA Morad Dkeel WTV-LibyaJoshua KimmichRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneErling HaalandThiago Alcantara MACAU Pedro Santos Ponto FinalCristiano RonaldoMohamed SalahManuel NeuerLionel MessiBruno Fernandes MADAGASCAR Haja Lucas Rakotondrazaka LExpress de MadagascarRobert LewandowskiThiago AlcantaraLionel MessiNeymarManuel Neuer MALAWI Peter Kanjere FreelanceRobert LewandowskiLionel MessiCristiano RonaldoManuel NeuerKevin De Bruyne MALAYSIA Vijhay Vick Johor Darul TazimRobert LewandowskiCristiano RonaldoKylian MbappeLionel MessiMohamed Salah MEXICO Jason Marquitz soccermexicana.comSadio ManRobert LewandowskiNeymarTrent Alexander-ArnoldSerge Gnabry MONTENEGRO Danilo Mitrovic ND VijestiRobert LewandowskiManuel NeuerNeymarTrent Alexander-ArnoldThomas Muller MOROCCO Mohamed Amine El Amri Le MatinRobert LewandowskiManuel NeuerRomelu LukakuSadio ManKarim Benzema NAMIBIA Sheefeni Nikodemus The NamibianRobert LewandowskiSon Heung-minMarquinhosCiro ImmobileSadio Man NETHERLANDS Guus Hetterscheid FreelanceRobert LewandowskiSadio ManKevin De BruyneLionel MessiCristiano Ronaldo NEW ZEALAND Gordon Watson OFC TVRobert LewandowskiCristiano RonaldoKylian MbappeLionel MessiVirgil van Dijk NICARAGUA Gunther Kuse FreelanceRobert LewandowskiCristiano RonaldoKevin De BruyneJoshua KimmichVirgil van Dijk NIGERIA Tolu Olasoji FreelanceRobert LewandowskiSadio ManNeymarSerge GnabryKevin De Bruyne NORTHERN IRELAND Keith Bailie County Down SpectatorRobert LewandowskiLionel MessiAlphonso DaviesKevin De BruyneErling Haaland NORWAY Thore Haugstad NRK SportRobert LewandowskiVirgil van DijkLionel MessiKevin De BruyneThomas Muller OMAN Ashok Purohit Muscat DailyRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneCristiano 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TimesSadio ManNeymarMohamed SalahKylian MbappeThiago Alcantara SAUDI ARABIA Atef Nahass FreelanceRobert LewandowskiMohamed SalahSadio ManThiago AlcantaraKylian Mbappe SCOTLAND Kenny Millar FreelanceRobert LewandowskiMohamed SalahVirgil van DijkErling HaalandAlphonso Davies SENEGAL Adama Ndione RTSRobert LewandowskiSadio ManThomas MullerKarim BenzemaKevin De Bruyne SERBIA Vladimir Novak FreelanceRobert LewandowskiVirgil van DijkNeymarManuel NeuerJoshua Kimmich SIERRA LEONE Alusine Rehme Wilson Northern TimesAlphonso DaviesSadio ManMohamed SalahCristiano RonaldoKylian Mbappe SINGAPORE Jeremy Lim FreelanceRobert LewandowskiMohamed SalahSerge GnabryVirgil van DijkSadio Man SLOVAKIA Martin Rendek Hospodarske novinyRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneKylian MbappeLionel MessiJoshua Kimmich SOUTH AFRICA Juandre Joubert FourFourTwo SAVirgil van DijkRobert LewandowskiSadio ManErling HaalandKevin De Bruyne SOUTH KOREA Steve Han GoalRobert LewandowskiJoshua KimmichKylian MbappeKarim BenzemaJordan Henderson SPAIN Jon Prada MarcaRobert LewandowskiJoshua KimmichSergio RamosKylian MbappeLionel Messi SURINAME Desney Romeo ABC TVRobert LewandowskiManuel NeuerKevin De BruyneVirgil van DijkSergio Ramos SWEDEN Lee Roden Sveriges RadioVirgil van DijkLionel MessiRobert LewandowskiCristiano RonaldoErling Haaland SWITZERLAND Eva Tedesco 20 MinutenJoshua KimmichRobert LewandowskiSergio RamosRomelu LukakuSadio Man TANZANIA Salim Masoud Said SandalsForGoalpostsRobert LewandowskiKylian MbappeCristiano RonaldoLionel MessiSergio Ramos TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Lasana Liburd wired868.comRobert LewandowskiKevin De BruyneSadio ManNeymarLionel Messi TUNISIA Abdesslam Dhaifallah Radio Mosaique FMRobert LewandowskiManuel NeuerKylian MbappeCristiano RonaldoMohamed Salah TURKEY Simge Yazici FourFourTwo TurkeyRobert LewandowskiAlissonNeymarCristiano RonaldoErling Haaland UGANDA Ismael Kiyonga Kawawo SportsRobert LewandowskiSergio RamosErling HaalandKevin De BruyneAlphonso Davies UKRAINE Andriy Kudyrko ua-football.comRobert LewandowskiSadio ManKevin De BruyneCiro ImmobileErling Haaland UNITED ARAB EMIRATES John McAuley The NationalRobert LewandowskiJoshua KimmichCristiano RonaldoLionel MessiSadio Man USA Martin Harasimowicz FreelanceRobert LewandowskiSon Heung-minMohamed SalahSadio ManLionel Messi VENEZUELA Hugo Chavez LiderKevin De BruyneRobert LewandowskiSadio ManThomas MullerNeymar VIETNAM Tran Duc Truong zing.vnRobert LewandowskiManuel NeuerCristiano RonaldoLionel MessiNeymar WALES Huw Davies FreelanceKevin De BruyneRobert LewandowskiSon Heung-minHarry KaneAlphonso Davies ZIMBABWE Grace Chingoma The HeraldRobert LewandowskiErling HaalandKevin De BruyneSadio ManAlphonso DaviesTOPICSRobert LewandowskiTrent Alexander-ArnoldTammy AbrahamAngel Di MariaCristiano RonaldoLionel MessiThomas MllerAndy RobertsonHarry KaneSalah MohamedMohamed SalahSadio ManeKylian MbappeKevin De BruyneSergio RamosJordan HendersonSergio Ramos GarcaSergio Ramos SnchezRomelu LukakuThiago AlcntaraKarim BenzemaThiago Alcntara Do NascimientoManuel NeuerLeon GoretzkaJoshua KimmichSerge Gnabryngel di Mara HernndezAlphonso DaviesCiro ImmobileAndrew RobertsonVirgil van DijkHeung-Min SonSon Heung-MinBayern MunichPolandBallon d'OrLigue 1Premier LeagueBundesligaLa LigaEuro 2020Copa AmericaMatthew KetchellSocial Links NavigationDeputy EditorKetch joined FourFourTwo as Deputy Editor in 2022 having racked up appearances at Reach PLC as a Northern Football Editor and BBC Match of the Day magazine as their Digital Editor and Senior Writer. During that time he has interviewed the likes of Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero, Gareth Southgate and attended World Cup and Champions League finals. He co-hosts a '90s football podcast called Searching For Shineys, is a Newcastle United season ticket holder and has an expensive passion for collecting classic football shirts.
