Barça's Ballon d'Or Curse: Stars Shine After Leaving

Ronaldo Nazário's exceptional 1996-97 season at Barcelona earned him his first Ballon d'Or, but he had already transferred to Inter Milan when the award was presented. Three years later, Luis Figo won the 2000 Ballon d'Or after leaving Barcelona for Real Madrid, causing additional pain for Barça fans who saw their rival celebrate having the world's best player.

Now, history could repeat itself if Rodrigo Hernández wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Having been the standout player at the World Cup, which his team also won, Hernández appears poised to potentially bring the award to Barcelona's former stars yet again. sweetbonanza.qpon