Kaka was the last winner of the Ballon d'Or before the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo era began, but FC Barcelona reportedly did not want the former Real Madrid star to present this year's award to the Argentine.
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The Catalan club's leadership apparently tried to prevent the Brazil football legend, who spent four years with their bitter rivals Real, to unveil their superstar as the latest winner.
According to Marca, Barcelona's bosses attempted to convince FIFA that a Blaugrana legend was more suited to presenting the award.
The Spanish publication claimed that Messi's club would have preferred Hristo Stoichkov or Luis Suarez, who won the Ballon d'Or in 1960 and is the only Spanish player to do so, to do the honours.
It was actually the third time a former Los Blancos star had presented the award to Messi – Brazil legend Ronaldo handed it to the Argentine in 2011 and Fabio Cannavaro did so in 2012.
When Barcelona trio Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta made it a clean sweep on the podium in 2010, Pep Guardiola, their manager at the time, stepped up to name the winner.
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In 2009, it was UEFA president Michel Platini who handed Messi his first Golden Ball.
Do you think it's a big deal if a Real legend hands the award to a Barcelona player? Have your say in the comments section below.
