Zinedine Zidane snubbed Thierry Henry when naming the player who never won Ballon d'Or but most deserved to

Zinedine Zidane knows who "deserved" to win the Ballon d'Or but never managed to during their career in football, but it's not Thierry Henry.

Henry missing out on the 2003 Ballon d'Or is often referred to by fans as the biggest 'robbery' of all time, with the Arsenal star outperforming the Juventus star on most metrics.

Speaking in 2024 on CBS’ Champions League coverage, Micah Richards voiced the opinion of many fans by questioning why Henry missed out for Nedved.

Richards said: “2003. You had 32 goals and 28 assists that season. Nedved, who won it, had 14 goals and 17 assists.”

Henry said: “Look, you can’t debate opinions. When journalists are involved and have a vote, they vote for whoever they want."

However, Zidane, who played with Henry at international and briefly at club level snubbed the Frenchman when picking his most deserving player.

Back in January 2011, it was Lionel Messi who was crowned the inaugural winner of the Ballon d'Or ahead of Barcelona teammates Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

The Argentine ended the 2009/10 campaign with 47 goals in all competitions – his best-ever single-season tally at the time – as he helped Barca win La Liga with 99 points.

But many believe the award should have gone to World Cup winner Andres Iniesta, who scored a dramatic winner in extra time to hand Spain their first-ever world title.

Speaking in 2018 ahead of Iniesta's final El Classico, Zidane revealed he also believes the Spaniard should have beaten Messi to the 2010 award.

"It is difficult because if you like football, seeing a player like him leave is tough," said the Real Madrid boss. "I don't think of him as a Barcelona player. I see him simply as a football player.

"I've come across him two or three times and he is a charming, very reserved man and I like players who can do everything on the field but are that calm off it.

"I only have good words for him, admiration for his football and I wish him the best as a player for the future but above all, as a person."

Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta in the Champions League in 2006- Getty

He added: "We're talking about someone who made everyone dream and he deserved to win the Ballon d'Or, especially in the year he won the World Cup. It was clear then that he deserved it."

With a very respectable 17.36 percent of the vote, Iniesta followed Messi in second place at the 2010 ceremony.

In classic Iniesta fashion, he played down feeling 'wronged' by the decision. "Ballon d'Or? The image of Xavi, Leo, and me on the podium is bigger than me winning it," he said.

"Three players from La Masia on the podium was the biggest prize, not who won it."