10 Players You Forgot Were Nominated For Ballon d'Or
9. Sami Hyypia (Liverpool) - 2001
Finnish defender Sami Hyypia was quite busy in 2001. Having scooped a treble of sorts in the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup, the Liverpool centre-half added the Community Shield before being voted into the UEFA Team of the Year. He was also voted as the Finnish Sportsperson of the Year, Finnish Footballer of the Year for the second of his eventual nine times, and shortlisted for the Ballon dOr award. Phew. Despite Liverpool not winning the league title or even challenging in the Champions League, the year was truly a Red one as far as UEFA were concerned, with club team-mate Michael Owen winning the award for his extraordinary performances. While Owen received 176 votes, Hyypia was granted just two as he tied with the likes of Schalke 04s Ebbe Sand and Panathinaikos Emmanuel Olisadebe in 18th place. Still, even to be nominated for such an award was something of an honour for a player who spent so much time shying away from the limelight whilst performing with such consistency for the Reds during his decade at the club.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
