Jurgen Klopp admits he is baffled by Ballon d’Or results

Jurgen Klopp admits he is baffled by the Ballon d’Or and says it’s ‘tricky’ for any player to beat Lionel Messi to the top prize after Robert Lewandowski missed out… as he insists Mo Salah deserved to be higher than seventh place

  • Jurgen Klopp gave his opinions on the Ballon d’Or results on Tuesday afternoon 
  • The Liverpool boss felt his forward Mohamed Salah should have finished higher 
  • The German also expressed dismay that Robert Lewandowski did not win award 
  • Klopp managed the Bayern striker while the pair were at Borussia Dortmund 
  • READ: Lionel Messi leads calls for retrospective 2020 award for Lewandowski 


Jurgen Klopp admits it is hard to agree with the decision to overlook Robert Lewandowski for the Ballon d’Or this year.

Klopp managed the Poland international while at Borussia Dortmund, before losing him on a free transfer to rivals Bayern Munich. 

One of Klopp’s key performers during their Bundesliga winning season in 2011 and 2012, and he has continued to kick on year-on-year in Bavaria. 

Jurgen Klopp has admitted he is baffled by the Ballon d’Or results from Monday evening

Much to the dismay of most in football, Lionel Messi was voted best in the world by football journalists to secure his seventh title, while Lewandowski was handed the newly formed ‘Striker of the Year’ award. 

Liverpool had their own horses in the race, with Mohamed Salah finishing seventh in the rankings. And even that result didn’t sit well with the Reds boss.  

‘Do not ask me, it’s your fault then!’ Klopp joked when initially asked about the results by one reporter. ‘If you think he should be higher up then you should convince your colleagues.

Lionel Messi was handed his seventh Ballon d'Or much to the dismay of many within the game

Lionel Messi was handed his seventh Ballon d’Or much to the dismay of many within the game

‘You can always give it to Lionel Messi for the career he has had and the footballer he is but if you don’t give it Lewandowski this time then it’s quite tricky to get it at all.

‘Yes, Mo should definitely have been higher up.’

Even in his acceptance speech, Messi was at pains to praise his rival for the award, insisting that the Poland international should be retrospectively awarded the cancelled 2020 trophy.

‘Robert, you deserve your Ballon d’Or,” the Paris Saint-Germain forward said. 

‘Last year, everyone was in agreement to say that you were the big winner of this award.’

Robert Lewandowski was beaten into second place, but given a new 'Striker of the Year' award

Robert Lewandowski was beaten into second place, but given a new ‘Striker of the Year’ award

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