The 2014 Ballon d'Or wasn't just another trophy for the cabinet. It was a statement. When Cristiano Ronaldo stood on that stage in Zurich, let out that now-infamous "Siiiii!" scream, and clutched the golden ball, he wasn't just celebrating a win. He was leveling the playing field in a way that felt permanent.
People forget how high the stakes were back then. Lionel Messi had four. Ronaldo had two. If Messi had snatched it, the "Greatest of All Time" debate might have been hushed for a decade. But Ronaldo didn't just win; he dominated. He secured 37.66% of the total vote. That’s a massive margin when you realize Messi and Manuel Neuer were left fighting for scraps with 15.76% and 15.72% respectively. It was a landslide.
Why Cristiano Ronaldo Won the 2014 Ballon d'Or
Look at the numbers. Honestly, they’re stupid.
Ronaldo finished the 2013-14 season with 51 goals in 47 appearances for Real Madrid. Think about that for a second. More than a goal a game. He broke the record for most goals in a single Champions League campaign, netting 17 times. That seventeenth goal came in the final against Atlético Madrid—the "La Décima" win that Real Madrid fans had been obsessed with for twelve years.
He was a force of nature.
While Messi struggled with some nagging injuries and a Barcelona side that felt like it was in a weird transition phase under Gerardo "Tata" Martino, Ronaldo was thriving under Carlo Ancelotti. He was faster, stronger, and more clinical than anyone else on the planet. He won the Copa del Rey. He won the Champions League. He won the UEFA Super Cup. He was basically a human cheat code.
But it wasn't just the club form. Remember the World Cup playoffs? Portugal vs. Sweden. Ronaldo vs. Ibrahimovic. That hat-trick in Solna is still one of the most clutch performances in international football history. He literally dragged his country to Brazil on his own back.
The Manuel Neuer Argument
There’s always a "but," isn't there?
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In 2014, the "but" was Manuel Neuer.
If you talk to any tactical nerd or Bundesliga enthusiast, they’ll tell you Neuer was robbed. 2014 was the year of the "Sweeper Keeper." Neuer didn't just stop shots; he revolutionized how the position was played. He won the World Cup with Germany. He was the literal backbone of a Bayern Munich team that was vacuuming up domestic trophies.
Why didn't he win?
History is mean to goalkeepers. Lev Yashin is still the only keeper to ever win the award, and that was back in 1963. Voters love goals. They love the highlight reel of a winger cutting inside and smashing one into the top corner. They don't always value a keeper coming thirty yards off his line to head a ball clear, even if it changes the entire geometry of the game. Neuer’s third-place finish—missing second by a fraction of a percent—shows how close he actually came to breaking the glass ceiling.
The World Cup Factor (or Lack Thereof)
Usually, in a World Cup year, the trophy goes to a winner.
Fabio Cannavaro got it in 2006. Ronaldo (R9) got it in 2002. Zinedine Zidane in 1998.
But 2014 broke the trend.
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Germany won the World Cup, yet no German player took the individual crown. Thomas Müller was clinical. Philipp Lahm was a genius. Toni Kroos was a metronome. But because the German success was so "team-based," the votes split. If there had been one standout German superstar—someone scoring 10 goals in the tournament—Ronaldo might have been in trouble.
Portugal, meanwhile, crashed out in the group stages. It was a disaster. Ronaldo was clearly playing through a knee injury (patellar tendinosis). He looked sluggish. He looked frustrated.
So, how did he still win?
Because the Ballon d'Or is a calendar year award, not a "who was best for three weeks in June" award. From January to May, and then from August to December, Ronaldo was untouchable. He started the 2014-15 season by scoring 15 goals in his first eight La Liga games. It was an unprecedented start. Voters simply couldn't ignore the sheer volume of his output over the full twelve months.
A Change in the Rivalry Dynamics
Before this point, it felt like Messi was the protagonist and Ronaldo was the challenger.
Winning back-to-back awards (2013 and 2014) shifted the narrative. It proved that Ronaldo’s 2008 win wasn't a fluke and his 2013 win wasn't a pity vote. It established the era of "The Big Two" as a legitimate duopoly.
The ceremony itself was peak Ronaldo.
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He arrived with his family, looking every bit the global icon. When Thierry Henry announced his name, the relief on his face was obvious. That scream—the "Siiiii"—became a global brand moment right there on the stage. Some people thought it was arrogant. Others thought it was legendary. Either way, it defined the 2014 Ballon d'Or.
He wanted to be the best. He told everyone he wanted to catch Messi. And in 2014, he took the biggest step toward doing exactly that.
Looking Back at the Shortlist
The 23-man shortlist that year was stacked with talent. You had names like:
- Arjen Robben (who was arguably the best player at the World Cup)
- Angel Di Maria (the Man of the Match in the Champions League final)
- James Rodriguez (the breakout star from Colombia)
- Javier Mascherano (the heartbeat of Argentina's run to the final)
But none of them could touch the "Big Three." The gap between the top three and the rest of the world was a chasm.
Robben came in fourth, and while he was spectacular for the Netherlands and Bayern, he didn't have the "machine-like" consistency that France Football voters crave. Di Maria moved to Manchester United and his form dipped. James was a "moment" player. Ronaldo was a "every Sunday" player.
The Actionable Takeaway for Football Fans
If you're looking back at the 2014 Ballon d'Or to settle an argument or understand football history, here are the three things you need to remember:
- Volume beats Peak: Even though Germany won the World Cup and Neuer reinvented goalkeeping, Ronaldo’s 60+ goal involvements across the calendar year were too statistically significant to ignore.
- The "La Décima" Weight: Winning the 10th Champions League for Real Madrid carried massive emotional weight with voters. It ended a decade of failure for the world's biggest club.
- Consistency over Health: Ronaldo won despite being physically compromised for the biggest tournament on earth (the World Cup). This proves the award truly weighs the European club season more heavily than anything else.
To truly appreciate why this year mattered, go back and watch the highlights of Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals. Real won 5-0 on aggregate. Ronaldo scored twice in the second leg in Munich. That tie, more than any other, was the moment the 2014 Ballon d'Or was decided. He dismantled the best team in Germany, effectively ending the "Neuer for Ballon d'Or" campaign before it even reached its peak.
The 2014 race remains one of the most debated because it was the ultimate clash of philosophies: the record-breaking individual (Ronaldo), the pure talent (Messi), and the team-success innovator (Neuer). The individual won. And he hasn't stopped screaming about it since.