Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? How every Ballon d'Or winner since 1998 made their choice in the heated 'GOAT' debate

The Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate is one that will undoubtedly drag on even after both players call time on their professional careers. The duo dominated the sport a decade and a half, sharing 13 Ballons d’Or between them. Messi won the individual accolade eight times, while Ronaldo won the award five times.

Due to the longevity of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the beautiful game, almost every former and current player has been asked to choose between the two.

Football icons and past Ballon d’Or winners like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, and Kaká have given their opinions on who is truly the 'GOAT'. Recent Ballon d’Or winners like Rodri and Benzema have also given their two cents on the heated debate. This article takes a look at the choice of every Ballon d’Or winner since 1998 in the GOAT debate.

How the Ballon d’Or winners from 1998 till date picked between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Apart from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, 13 different players have won the Ballon d’Or from 1998 to 2024. Out of the thirteen, only three Ballon d’Or winners picked Ronaldo, while seven threw their weight behind Lionel Messi. The other three remained neutral, seeing both players as legends of the game.

Players who picked Cristiano Ronaldo

The three players who picked Cristiano Ronaldo as the better of the pair are Zinedine Zidane, Michael Owen, and Karim Benzema. All three plied their trade at Real Madrid at some point in their careers.

1998 Ballon d’Or winner Zinedine Zidane, who won the coveted award after stellar performances for Juventus and France, managed Ronaldo at Real Madrid. They won three consecutive Champions League titles together. Zidane said in 2016 (via beIN Sports):

"Messi the best player in the world? Cristiano Ronaldo is the best. Many things are said about Cristiano, but deep in his heart he is a good person. Messi is his rival and that rivalry is good for football. That's what people want to see."

Michael Owen, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2001 while at Liverpool, also chose Cristiano Ronaldo, saying the Portuguese man is an all-rounded player.

"Goalscoring is the hardest art in football and [Ronaldo] makes it look so easy. Head, left foot, right foot. Messi is a decent header of a ball but if you're looking at all-round players, you go head-to-head with Messi and Ronaldo, you'd say Ronaldo has a lot more different attributes let's say. He's probably always been quicker, right foot, left foot and header of a ball. I think Messi is outstanding in certain attributes but as an all-round physique, Ronaldo is such an all-round player."

2022 winner Karim Benzema also believes his former teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, is the best player of all time.

"He made me dream and he still makes me dream," the striker told Telefoot in 2014. "For me, he is the best player of all time. I play with the best player in the world. We get along well on and off the pitch and I learn a lot from him."

Players who picked Lionel Messi

The seven players who picked Lionel Messi as the ‘GOAT’ are Rivaldo, Ronaldo Nazário, Andriy Shevchenko, Ronaldinho, Fabio Cannavaro, Luka Modric, and Rodri. Out of these seven players, two played for Barcelona, one played for both clubs, two have played for Real Madrid, and the remaining two played for neither club.

Former Barcelona player Rivaldo was full of praise for both players but claimed that Messi is the best in the world. The 1999 Ballon d’Or winner said:

"I would like to play with Messi, it would be amazing. He is the best in the world, the one who makes more differences. Ronaldo? He is the most dangerous player at Real. It is hard to stop him, like Messi, because both score a lot of goals and you never know what is going to be the next thing they will invent for scoring."

2002 World Cup and Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo Nazario also heaped praise on both players but believes Messi is more complete. The former Barcelona and Real Madrid striker said:

''He [Messi] is out of this world. Cristiano, too, but I see Leo as more complete. He's great. I like him much more than any other player. Everything he does is spectacular."

Ukrainian forward Andriy Shevchenko, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2004, acknowledged the greatness of both players but eventually chose Messi.

“I think all three nominees were amazing in 2012 but Lionel Messi was something special. To score 91 goals in a full year is unbelievable. Both him and Cristiano are great but Leo Messi is incredible."

Barcelona and Brazilian maverick Ronaldinho, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2005, unsurprisingly picked his former teammate Lionel Messi as the better of the pair. Ronaldinho said:

"Messi. I would have loved to continue playing alongside him. I didn't get enough time with him, he was very young. I'd love to take to the pitch with him one more time."

2006 World Cup and Ballon d’Or winner Fabio Cannavaro used the goal-scoring ability of the pair to make his choice. The defender said in 2013:

"Both Messi and Ronaldo are great players in terms of scoring. At this very moment, Messi is a little bit better."

Luka Modric is one of the few players who played for Real Madrid to give his vote to Messi in the ‘GOAT’ debate. The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner said during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

"I hope he (Messi) will win this World Cup; he is the best player in history and he deserves it. He is playing a great World Cup, he shows quality and greatness in every game."

The latest recipient of the Ballon d’Or, Rodri, also picked Lionel Messi as the better of the pair, saying the Argentine is dangerous with the ball anywhere on the pitch. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner said:

"Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer ever lived. Cristiano Ronaldo was able to match Lionel Messi without any natural talent, but as players who faced them both, we know the difference. With Cristiano, we didn't want him to enter the box because he was deadly there. But with Messi, he would be dangerous with getting the ball anywhere on the pitch."

Players who were neutral

The three players who were neutral in the debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are Luis Figo, Pavel Nedved, and Kaka.

Portuguese legend Luis Figo, who played for Barcelona and Real Madrid, refused to be drawn into the debate on who was better between the Argentine forward and his compatriot. The 2000 Ballon d’Or winner said both are the best in the world.

“They are both the best in the world. It is always difficult to choose one of them and say he is the best. In the end Ronaldo and Messi are the ones who have been winning all the individual awards in the world of football and that says it all about their tremendous individual talent as footballers. I would never choose between them.”

Former Czechia midfielder and 2003 Ballon d’Or winner Pavel Nedved said Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still two of the best players in the world when he was Juventus vice-chairman.

The last player who won the coveted award before Messi and Ronaldo started their reign, Kaka, praised both players in 2016, saying:

"Messi is a genius and Ronaldo is a sort of icon of modern football... both have undoubtedly defined their generation. They're sporting greats."

Despite being in the twilight years of their careers, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still strutting their stuff in the Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Saudi Pro League, respectively.

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