Lionel Messi’s shiny red suit didn’t bring him good luck at the Ballon d’Or gala

Lionel Messi continued his streak of uncharacteristically loud formal wear at the Ballon d'Or gala with a shiny red suit that was easily the most ridiculous yet. Last year, it was a polka dot tuxedo and the year before he wore a velvet jacket, but this year, his bold fashions were not accompanied by a Ballon d'Or award. So the red suit is clearly to blame.

Sure, losing the Ballon d'Or to Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time since 2008 might have more to do with the fact that Messi was unable to play the final two months of the calendar year due to injury and the voters feeling that someone else should win after a record four straight years of the same result. But if a choice in suits ever were to disqualify a finalist, it would surely be this one.