Barcelona's worst Ballon d'Or appearance in 12 years
'France Football' announced the 30 footballers who could win the 2017 award to the best player on the planet. Barcelona's decline is apparent due to their scarce representation among the nominees.
Neymar's departure and recent Champions League exits at the hands of Juventus and Atletico Madrid have caused Barcelona to lose presence in the fight for the Ballon d'Or. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are the only candidates up for the coveted award who are currently plying their trade at the Camp Nou.
The Catalan club have not had so few representatives since 2005, the year Barcelona put an end to a club crisis which saw them fail to win a single La Liga title in five years. Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho were among the candidates then.
The Brazilian was the club's one and only nominee in 2003, and even then it was not for his displays at Barcelona, but his contributions in South Korea and Japan where he helped Brazil to World Cup victory. In 2002, Rivaldo was the only Barca player to make the shortlist for the award.
Then came Barcelona's golden generation. In 2010, up to six nominations, this time largely thanks to Spain's World Cup triumph. Messi, Villa, Iniesta, Xavi, Alves and Puyol were up for the award to the best player. In 2011, Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Abidal, Pique, Alves and Villa were in contention.
In 2015, the club's second-ever 'treble' was also rewarded with six candidates, Messi, Suárez, Neymar, Mascherano, Iniesta and Rakitic.
Since then, a steady decline when it comes to the number of candidates up for the Ballon d'Or. Xavi left the club in 2015 and 'France Football' believe Iniesta is no longer consistent enough to be considered among the best in the world. Neymar's departure also influenced the low numbers, as the Brazilian ace regularly made the final shortlist since his arrival in Europe in 2013.
Barcelona can no longer count on those players who, without being at the level of Messi or Neymar, who make the list year in year out, occasionally featured along with the rest of nominees, Rakitic and Mascherano (candidates in 2015), Busquets (2012), Yaya Toure (2008), Abidal or Alves (2011).