Kane has won it and Neymar still has none: was it all Messi and Cristiano's fault?
The Englishman lifted his first Ballon d'Or at 33. Neymar is 34 and still without the award he will most likely never win: an uncomfortable comparison that deserves more than blaming the era.
Harry Kane now has a Ballon d'Or. Neymar, a year older, still does not. The contrast puts to the test the idea that the Brazilian was simply unlucky to share an era with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
What Messi and Cristiano did block
Neymar's best years do support part of that idea. In the 2014/15 season he scored 39 goals in 51 games, won the treble with Barcelona and shared the Champions League scoring lead with Messi and Cristiano: ten goals each. He also scored in the final against Juventus.
Even that was not enough. He finished third in the 2015 Ballon d'Or, behind both of them. In 2017 he finished third again, with the same two rivals ahead of him.
The ones who won after 30
But that barrier eventually opened up for other players of his generation:
Three winners from Neymar's generation who were crowned after turning 30.
| Player | Year | Age when he won | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Modrić | 2018 | 33 | Champions League and World Cup final with Croatia |
| Karim Benzema | 2022 | 34 | 44 goals; LaLiga and Champions League with Real Madrid |
| Harry Kane | 2026 | 33 | 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England |
Luka Modrić won in 2018, at 33, after lifting the Champions League and leading Croatia to the World Cup final.
Karim Benzema did it in 2022, at 34, after a 44-goal campaign with Real Madrid, champions of LaLiga and the Champions League.
Harry Kane was crowned in 2026, at 33, with 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England during the season being honored.
Their cases show that turning 30 did not end the race for the trophy. They also came at different points in Messi and Cristiano's dominance: sharing a generation does not mean always competing under the same conditions.
2020, the injuries and what was lost
Neymar's story also has chapters that complicate any verdict. In 2020 he reached the Champions League final with PSG, but that year's Ballon d'Or was canceled. That vote never happened; naming a winner would be speculation.
Injuries also cut into his chances. In 2023, ankle surgery ended a campaign in which he had 18 goals and 17 assists in 29 games for Paris.
Kane proves it can still be won at that age.
Messi and Cristiano explain why Neymar finished third in his two best candidacies. Explaining his whole career means adding the injuries and the continuity he lost afterward. Kane proves it can still be won at that age; the challenge is getting there while playing at Ballon d'Or level.
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