The official Ballon d’Or social media account posed a question that immediately triggered a debate among fans of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious individual award in soccer. Presented annually by the magazine France Football, it honors the player considered the best in the world over the course of a calendar year and has been awarded for nearly 70 years. Now, the award’s official social media accounts posted a question that sparked a passionate back-and-forth between supporters of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
On Wednesday, Ballon d’Or published a video on its official X and Instagram accounts discussing the Super Ballon d’Or and revisiting the history of the one time it was awarded. “In 1989, France Football decided to reward the best Ballon d’Or of the previous three decades. A trophy that was only given once in history,” the post begins.
The first part of the video includes footage of recent Ballon d’Or winners like Messi, Ronaldo, and Karim Benzema holding their trophies. “As you can see, this Super Ballon d’Or look slightly different from the original Ballon d’Or,” the narration continues, before explaining what the award was all about. “There was only one rule to be a candidate: to have won the Ballon d’Or multiple times. Who voted? Readers of France Football, the jury of the Ballon d’Or, and the previous winners.”
The video then reveals the final results of that vote: “Third came Michel Platini. The French legend, who won the Ballon d’Or three consecutive times between 1982 and 1985 and would even had been the winner if only the France Football readers voted.”
It continues: “Second came Johan Cruyff. The Dutch icon, Ballon d’Or winner in three occasions as well, in 1971, 1973 and 1974. And the winner was Alfredo Di Stefano. The Spanish superstar won the Ballon d’Or in 1957 and 1959, during Real Madrid’s first era of European dominance.”
Who could win the next Super Ballon d’Or?
Since the only Super Ballon d’Or was awarded to commemorate the award’s first 30 years, the ideal time to present it again has technically already passed. It’s been 36 years since Alfredo Di Stefano received that historic trophy, but speculation is growing that another edition could happen in 2029, marking the 40th anniversary.
Assuming the award is revived and the same rules apply, today’s landscape presents a wide range of potential candidates — specifically, players who have won the Ballon d’Or multiple times.
In addition to Di Stefano, nine other players have claimed the trophy more than once. Leading the pack is Lionel Messi, who holds the record with eight. Cristiano Ronaldo follows with five. Three players have won it three times: Platini, Cruyff, and Marco van Basten. Four others have two Ballon d’Or titles: Franz Beckenbauer, Ronaldo Nazario, Kevin Keegan, and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Favorites to win the Super Ballon d’Or
After telling the story of the award, the video closes with a question for fans: “And you, would you like to see another Super Ballon d’Or one day? And who would win it?” Those final words ignited a flood of comments from around the world as fans shared their picks.
“Super Ballon d’Or should go to Cristiano Ronaldo. The man who kept this sport relevant for decades,” one user wrote. Another added, “Ronaldo should win it because he will be the only footballer dead or alive to score 1000 goals.” A third claimed, “64 players have won the Ballon d’Or. 471 players have won the WC. But no one will score 1000 goals ever in this history of football, we all know who deserves it.”
On the Messi side, one fan commented, “The person with the most ballon D’or should win it. The guy that won it all.” Another, posting a photo of Lionel, wrote, “Of course, there is only one who deserves this big trophy. He is the greatest of all time.” A third supporter stated, “If they had known Messi would be born, they would’ve waited to give it to him because he’s the only player who truly deserves it, past or present. Easy win for the goat.”
From: bolavip.com
