<\/div>\nOn the back of his World Cup heroics in Qatar last year, where Messi scored seven times including twice in the final as he captained Argentina to glory, the diminutive genius now leads his great rival eight Ballon d\u2019Or trophies to five.<\/p>\n
It might just be the final blow in the debate over which player is the GOAT \u2013 the greatest of all time. Always subjective and able to spark debate among fans both hard-core and casual, there will never be a definitive answer to that question.<\/p>\n
As far as international trophies go, both have a continental title (Copa America for Messi, European Championship for Ronaldo) \u2013 but Messi boasts the ultimate prize, the World Cup trophy. Of course, both players could still win another continental title (particularly Messi at next year\u2019s Copa America) or even the World Cup in 2026. <\/p>\n
When it comes to club trophies, Messi trails his rival 5-4 in Champions League titles, but has more league crowns (12-7) and domestic cups (7-6).<\/p>\n
Ronaldo has more career goals on both the domestic and international stages, while Messi has more assists in both departments.<\/p>\n
But the major difference, statistically at least, is that Messi has played over 100 fewer games than his rival \u2013 not a surprise given he is two years younger than the Portuguese icon.<\/p>\n
And when it comes to goals or assists per game or per minute, Messi boasts a superior record.<\/p>\n
Goal contributions, trophies or records at the international and domestic arenas add weight to arguments over which player is superior, but they cannot truly deliver an answer.<\/p>\n
What cannot be debated, however, is that the rivalry is one of the greatest in football history, where their duels on the field and their records off it were equally brilliant as they drove each other to ever greater heights.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Make that EIGHT titles. Top row (L-R): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. Bottom Row (L-R): 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe consistency of the two players is particularly remarkable.<\/p>\n
Ronaldo was nominated for the Ballon d\u2019Or for 19 years in a row from 2004 to 2022 before missing out this year, while Messi has been nominated every year from 2005 onwards except for 2022.<\/p>\n
Ronaldo first won the award in 2008 and Messi in 2009. Since then, only twice has the award gone to a different player \u2013 Croatia\u2019s Luka Modric in 2018 and France\u2019s Karim Benzema in 2022.<\/p>\n
But the pair\u2019s stranglehold on the game\u2019s greatest individual gong looks set to finally come to an end, with 2023 likely to herald the end of their two-man tussle for the golden ball.<\/p>\n
While the giants of the game are both still performing at a remarkably high level, neither competes in the upper echelons of European club football.<\/p>\n
Ronaldo captains Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr after departing Manchester United in January. The Portugal great is still firing in goals \u2013 25 in 26 league games this calendar year, to go with eight assists. In all competitions, he has a remarkable 28 goals and 10 assists in 33 appearances.<\/p>\n
Messi, meanwhile, has started strongly at Inter Miami after moving from Paris Saint-Germain in July, tallying 11 goals and five assists in 14 appearances across all competitions.<\/p>\n
The numbers for both players are impressive \u2013 as good as anyone in the world, to be fair.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Messi speaks after receiving the award in Paris.<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBut Ronaldo is highly unlikely to add to his record 19 nominations for the award, while Messi\u2019s 15th nomination this year is also likely to be his last.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because the standard of the competitions in which they feature is lower than the elite European leagues. And even if they do get nominated again, not since Igor Belanov in 1986 has the award gone to someone playing outside of Europe\u2019s five biggest leagues (England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain).<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not thinking about the long-term future. I am just enjoying the day to day at the moment,\u201d Messi said<\/p>\n
Next year, there\u2019ll be a new player writing their name into the history books as the winner of the 70th Ballon d\u2019Or.<\/p>\n
<\/amp-ima-video><\/p>\nNestory Irankunda: Australia’s Wonderboy | 02:04<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nTHE HEIRS TO THE THRONE<\/b><\/p>\n
Messi might have won the trophy again, but it was surely a close-run thing.<\/p>\n
Erling Haaland finished second after his unbelievable goalscoring exploits for Manchester City.<\/p>\n
The Norwegian striker bagged 52 goals in 53 games for his club in the 2022\/23 campaign, guiding them to a first-ever treble, and topscored in both the Premier League and Champions League.<\/p>\n
He added four goals for Norway in as many games, but wasn\u2019t able to showcase his skills on the biggest stage after the nation missed out on World Cup qualification for Qatar.<\/p>\n
Speaking before the awards, Haaland\u2019s Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola joked that Messi\u2019s alien-like achievements meant he should be given a separate category in the Ballon d\u2019Or.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always said that the Ballon d\u2019Or had to be two sections: one for Messi and one for the others,\u201d Guardiola quipped.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut of course, Messi, if you tell me the worst season of Messi it is the best for the rest of them. Both deserve it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guardiola, who previously coached Messi at Barcelona, added: \u201cEgotistically I would say I want Erling (to win the trophy) because he helped us to achieve what we achieved. I would love it but I won\u2019t tell you it\u2019s unfair if Leo wins.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Manchester City’s Norwegian forward Erling Haaland gestures on stage as he receives the Gerd Muller Trophy for Best Striker during the 2023 Ballon d’Or France Football award ceremony.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMessi\u2019s former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe was third after another fantastic campaign, winning another Ligue 1 title as well as the World Cup golden boot as France made the final \u2013 where he lost to Messi\u2019s Argentina despite scoring a hat-trick.<\/p>\n
He scored 54 competitive goals for club and country, falling just two short of Haaland\u2019s tally that saw the Premier League goal machine today win the Gerd Muller award.<\/p>\n
With Mbappe 24 years old and Haaland 23, the stage is set for the two to duel for top honours for years to come \u2013 both in terms of scoring and Ballon d\u2019Or awards.<\/p>\n
In his acceptance speech, Messi said: \u201cHaaland and Mbappe will win the Ballon d\u2019Or one day.<\/p>\n
\u201cErling deserved it very much too, he has won the Premier League, and Champions League while being the top scorer of everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis award could have been yours today too. I\u2019m sure in the next years you will win it.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/amp-ima-video><\/p>\nCity dominate United in Manchester derby | 01:27<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nBut Haaland recently told France Football \u2013 who founded the Ballon d\u2019Or award back in 1956 \u2013 that he doesn\u2019t view his relationship with Mbappe like the Messi-Ronaldo duel of the last two decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what everyone thinks, but you have to emphasise just how crazy the things Messi and Cristiano have done,\u201d said Haaland. \u201cYou also have to remember that they\u2019re still doing it, even if they\u2019re getting older. They\u2019re still fantastic players. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut I never talk about myself being against other players, it\u2019s not my way of seeing things. I focus on myself, I only try to be better every day, to continue enjoying what I do and being the best version of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manchester City\u2019s midfield conductor Kevin de Bruyne was fourth and figures as another contender in the years to come.<\/p>\n
But Mbappe and Haaland\u2019s biggest threat to winning the top trophy in 2024 might just be Jude Bellingham.<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Messi and Mbappe at the ceremony.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe 20-year-old England star won the Kopa Trophy for the best season by a player under 21, having scored 14 times in 42 games for Borussia Dortmund in his final season in Germany before moving to Real Madrid. He also starred for England in their quarter-finals run at the World Cup in Qatar.<\/p>\n
But this season he looks set to reach even greater heights, scoring 13 goals in his first 13 games in Madrid, including a dazzling brace in the weekend\u2019s El Clasico win over Barcelona.<\/p>\n
Speaking on CBS Sports after the game, he revealed that team trophies were his priority, but that he had dreamt of winning the Ballon d\u2019Or in the future.<\/p>\n
Told that Gary Lineker predicted him to win the Ballon d\u2019Or in 2028, Bellingham replied: \u201cIt wasn\u2019t me, was it? Ah, well, that\u2019s very nice of him. For me, it\u2019s all about the team awards but it is definitely one you think of when you are a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/amp-img>Bellingham won the Kopa award for the best player under 21.<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBellingham looms as a key player for England at the upcoming European Championships in Germany, where Mbappe\u2019s France have also qualified.<\/p>\n
Haaland\u2019s Norway are struggling in qualification, but may still make it to the tournament proper through the play-offs.<\/p>\n
And Cristiano Ronaldo has also declared he has \u2018something to prove\u2019 and wants to lead Portugal at the Euros in June-July, with the nation also having secured qualification.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Lionel Messi will be in action at the Copa America tournament in the United States.<\/p>\n
The Argentine and Ronaldo might be long odds to win another Ballon d\u2019Or \u2013 or even be nominated \u2013 but they\u2019re still shining at club level and on the international stage.<\/p>\n
Their stranglehold on the individual trophy might be ending, but the golden era of their greatness isn\u2019t finished quite yet.<\/p>\n
And when you look at the next generation of stars, the future is bright.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For the past two decades, the battle for the Ballon d\u2019Or \u2013 the top individual award in football \u2013 has been dominated by two names: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The two have shared a remarkable 13 crowns between them, after Messi claimed the trophy for a record-extending eighth time at Tuesday morning\u2019s ceremony in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":72722,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[35131,3894,1800,319,1641,22186,2308,35140,32741,5514,1192,35144,10747,7691,35143,35135,33499,35134,35141,85,980,1429,9555,35147,35130,5662,10641,726,691,35137,4232,30818,20283,35142,12108,35138,2458,209,933,16763,2234,12231,358,5962,1415,34987,2232,35132,35139,1533,1809,1427,3153,920,35136,854,5978,2874,35145,3143,5429,2457,2902,35146,35133,34991,34990,1792,1847,3150,35082,35087],"class_list":{"0":"post-72721","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-acceptance-speech","9":"tag-adelaide-united","10":"tag-america","11":"tag-argentina","12":"tag-asia","13":"tag-award-ceremony","14":"tag-borussia-dortmund","15":"tag-captains-saudi","16":"tag-career-goals","17":"tag-cbs-corporation","18":"tag-champions-league","19":"tag-continental-title","20":"tag-cristiano-ronaldo-dos-santos-aveiro","21":"tag-croatia","22":"tag-dor-award","23":"tag-dor-award-back","24":"tag-dor-awards","25":"tag-dor-trophies","26":"tag-elite-european-leagues","27":"tag-england","28":"tag-erling-haaland","29":"tag-europe","30":"tag-european-club-football","31":"tag-fantastic-campaign","32":"tag-final-blow","33":"tag-final-season","34":"tag-football-history","35":"tag-france","36":"tag-gary-lineker","37":"tag-gerd-muller","38":"tag-germany","39":"tag-goal-contributions","40":"tag-golden-era","41":"tag-gong-looks-set","42":"tag-history-books","43":"tag-igor-belanov","44":"tag-italy","45":"tag-jude-bellingham","47":"tag-league-crowns","48":"tag-league-games","49":"tag-league-side","50":"tag-lionel-messi","51":"tag-madrid","52":"tag-manchester-city-football-club","53":"tag-manchester-derbypremier-league","54":"tag-manchester-united-football-club","55":"tag-midfield-conductor","56":"tag-next-gen-throne","57":"tag-north-america","58":"tag-northern-america","59":"tag-northern-europe","60":"tag-paris","61":"tag-pep-guardiola","62":"tag-player-hoists","63":"tag-premier-league","64":"tag-province-of-madrid","65":"tag-qatar","66":"tag-quarter-finals-run","67":"tag-real-madrid-c-f","68":"tag-south-america","69":"tag-southern-europe","70":"tag-spain","71":"tag-superior-record","72":"tag-team-awards","73":"tag-team-trophies","74":"tag-town-rivals","75":"tag-united-states-of-america","76":"tag-western-asia","77":"tag-western-europe","78":"tag-world-class-goals","79":"tag-world-football-knocking"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72721"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72721\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}