Janice R. Andrews
The world of football often leaves fans bewildered when it comes to individual awards. From major honors like the Ballon d’Or to lesser-known accolades, the sport has seen its fair share of unexpected winners. Let’s explore seven of the most surprising individual award recipients in recent football history.
1. Cole Palmer: England’s Rising Star
In 2024, 22-year-old Cole Palmer was named England Men’s Player of the Year, raising eyebrows across the nation. Despite his undeniable talent, Palmer’s limited playing time at Euro 2024 – just 145 minutes – made this choice particularly unexpected. His crucial contributions, including a semi-final assist and a goal in the final, weren’t enough in many fans’ eyes to justify the award over more established players.
2. Jermaine Jenas: An Unlikely Ally
The 2024 Women’s Football Ally of the Year award went to Jermaine Jenas, a decision that left many scratching their heads. Jenas had shown little public engagement with women’s football, making his selection for an award meant to honor active supporters of the women’s game puzzling. The controversy deepened when Jenas later faced a scandal at the BBC, further questioning the wisdom of this choice.
3. Raul Meireles: Fan Favorite or Fluke?
The 2010-11 season saw Raul Meireles unexpectedly win the PFA Fans’ Player of the Year award. While the Liverpool midfielder had a solid season, he was far from being considered the standout player in the league. This decision remains one of the most perplexing in Premier League history.
4. David Ginola: Outshining the Treble Winners
In a season dominated by Manchester United’s historic treble, Tottenham’s David Ginola surprisingly clinched the 1998-99 PFA Players’ Player of the Year award. Despite Ginola’s undeniable skill, his three goals and ten assists for a mid-table Spurs side paled in comparison to the achievements of United’s stars like Dwight Yorke.
5. Steve Bruce: A Puzzling Managerial Honor
April 2021 saw Steve Bruce named Premier League Manager of the Month while at Newcastle United. This decision baffled many, considering Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United had a better points tally, and Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United had defeated Manchester City during the same period.
6. Mohamed Salah: A Controversial Goal of the Year
Mohamed Salah’s 2018 Puskas Award win for his goal in the Merseyside derby sparked debate among football fans. While a fine strike, many argued it paled in comparison to more spectacular efforts from Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and Benjamin Pavard that year.
7. Luka Modric: Breaking the Ballon d’Or Duopoly
Luka Modric’s 2018 Ballon d’Or victory broke Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s decade-long dominance of the award. While Modric had an excellent year, leading Real Madrid to Champions League glory and Croatia to a World Cup final, many believed other players like Antoine Griezmann or the usual suspects, Ronaldo and Messi, were more deserving.
Conclusion
These surprising award decisions remind us that football accolades don’t always align with fan expectations or player performances. Whether due to politics, popularity, or simply different perspectives, these choices continue to spark debates among football enthusiasts worldwide.
