Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been closely watched in individual awards since 2010, and the recent Ballon d’or ceremony held in Paris saw Messi extend his lead with an eighth win.
Around 100 journalists from FIFA’s top-ranked countries cast their votes, excluding players from the process. In the past, the France Football prize merged with FIFA, and now ‘The Best’ award heavily relies on fellow professionals’ opinions.
While Messi and Ronaldo have dominated these awards, there has been a pattern of Ronaldo not voting for Messi. This changed in 2020 when Ronaldo placed Messi second in his top three for ‘The Best,’ which Robert Lewandowski won due to the absence of the Ballon d’Or that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2018 and 2019, Messi included Ronaldo in his top three, but neither has ranked the other in the first position. Instead, their voting history reveals a trend of supporting their friends.
**Lionel Messi’s Awards Voting**
*Ballon d’Or:*
– 2010: Didn’t vote
– 2011: Xavi, Iniesta, Aguero
– 2012: Iniesta, Xavi, Aguero
– 2013: Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar
– 2014: Di Maria, Iniesta, Mascherano
– 2015: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
*FIFA ‘The Best’:*
– 2016: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
– 2017: Suarez, Iniesta, Neymar
– 2018: Modric, Mbappe, Ronaldo
– 2019: Mane, Ronaldo, De Jong
– 2020: Neymar, Mbappe, Lewandowski
– 2021: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
– 2022: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
**Cristiano Ronaldo’s Awards Voting**
*Ballon d’Or:*
– 2010: Xavi, Casillas, Sneijder
– 2011: Did not vote
– 2012: Did not vote
– 2013: Falcao, Bale, Ozil
– 2014: Ramos, Bale, Benzema
– 2015: Benzema James, Bale
*FIFA’s ‘The Best’:*
– 2016: Bale, Modric, Ramos
– 2017: Modric, Ramos, Marcelo
– 2018: Varane, Modric, Griezmann
– 2019: De Ligt, De Jong, Mbappe
– 2020: Lewandowski, Messi, Mbappe
– 2021: Lewandowski, Kante, Jorginho
– 2022: Did not vote
This goes to show that their rivals does not only end on the pitch, it’s in all aspects of their lives.