The art of defending is one typically overlooked during awards season.
Since the Ballon d'Or's inception in 1956, there have been just a few instances of voters preferring glorious stoutness over magestic playmaking, dazzling wing-play, or prolfiic goal-getting.
It's those doing the creating and scoring that win the hearts and minds, while the soldiers tasked with stopping the artists are looked upon with disdain. They're preventing all the fun from happening.
Nevertheless, there have been defensive performances so otherworldly that they simply had to be recognised to the highest degree. There have been enterprising pioneers, sound sweepers, and pristine fundamentalists who have got their hands on the award, although we haven't seen a defender claim Ballon d'Or glory in almost 20 years.
Who Was the Last Defender to Win the Ballon d'Or?
The last defender to win the Ballon d’Or was Fabio Cannavaro in 2006. His Italy and Juventus teammate, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, finished second, edging out Arsenal legend Thierry Henry in third.
That year, Cannavaro also scooped the rival FIFA World Player of the Year award—making him the only defender ever to win it during its 19-year run.
Cannavaro isn’t the only defender to have claimed the Ballon d’Or, though (he is the only non-German). Franz Beckenbauer set the precedent, winning in 1972 and again in 1976, while fellow German sweeper Matthias Sammer joined the exclusive club in 1996.
Why Did Fabio Cannavaro Win the Ballon d'Or in 2006?
As a nation, Italy were embroiled in the Calciopoli scandal that saw Juventus stripped of Serie A titles and relegated, as well as AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina sanctioned.
That made their World Cup triumph all the more special and Cannavaro in particular embodied that siege mentality and spirit more than any other player with his performances. The Italian produced one of the all-time great individual World Cup performances in the Azzurri's semi-final victory over hosts Germany.
2006 also saw 33-year-old Cannavaro win Serie A Defender of the Year for the second consecutive year, as well as Serie A Footballer of the Year.
The combination of Juve’s relegation and his outstanding World Cup earned Cannavaro a cut-price transfer to Real Madrid, where he finished the calendar year and would later win back-to-back La Liga titles.
READ MORE ON THE RECENT HISTORY OF THE BALLON D’OR
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Who Was the Last Defender to Win the Ballon d'Or?.