Modric won in 2018 for coming second in WC over Ronaldo. Messi not only won the world cup, he won the cup as the best player of the tournament. Haaland was absent in the big games of the man city UCL win but Messi was motm of every game outside the group stage.
People suddenly started criticizing world cup like crazy since Messi won it as if it isn't the most prestigious award for any nation and the most sought after by players. To win the award as the best player and complete the year with highest g+a is always enough for a balloon d'Or
There used to be a guy there on the top right