In 2007, soccer was on the verge of a revolutionary two-person control between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Apart from 2018, when Luka Modric took the spotlight, all Ballon d’Or trophies have been presented to either Ronaldo or Messi since then, an incredible feat.
The FIFA World Player of the Year award, now referred to as ‘The Best’ award, saw Kaka take the top prize, but there was a slight change when it came to the second and third places.
At a ceremony in the Zurich Opera House 15 days after the Ballon d’Or festivities, the race between Messi and Ronaldo was close, with Messi coming in second. This caused what could be described as one of the most uncomfortable face-to-face encounters between the two stars. The award for second and third place was a source of confusion.
Throwback when Cristiano Ronaldo tried to rob Messi’s award😭😭pic.twitter.com/TlB49HhCze
— Troll Football (@Troll_Fotballl) January 31, 2023
In an embarrassing video that has been circulating the internet again this week, there was a moment where Ronaldo believed he was the runner-up, similar to his result at the Ballon d’Or when he actually ended up in third place.
Despite being named the third-place winner, there was a brief moment of confusion when Pele presented the Manchester United star with the silver medal. Sepp Blatter then asked the two stars to exchange their awards.
The circumstance was particularly heartbreaking when Messi took the bronze plaque, and when the awards were finally awarded to their rightful recipients, one of the hosts joked, “You tried! You tried!” In 2007, Kaka was the shining star of the show, making him the last person to be able to resist the unstoppable forces of Messi and Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi: Who has the most FIFA Best Player awards?
The debate over who is the best between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi has been a hot topic among soccer fans for the past ten years and will no doubt continue to be a contentious issue in the years to come. From diehard fans to casual observers, everyone seems to have an opinion on who is the greatest of all time (GOAT).
Cristiano Jr has won more FIFA The Best awards than Leo Messi! 😂
Not a hater but this is just a reply to Messi FC who are barking Messi’s sons have more La Ligas than Ronaldo 😅#cr7 #cristiano #ronaldo pic.twitter.com/312g3qkcdg
— CR7 Rap Rhymes (@cr7raprhymes) April 30, 2019
In 2019, Lionel Messi took the lead in the Ballon d’Or race when he was awarded his sixth title, and his dominance in the area was further solidified when he earned his seventh award in 2021.
Despite having more FIFA ‘The Best’ awards, Ronaldo has not won as many UEFA Player of the Year awards as Messi. However, he has been named Player of the Year in the English, Spanish, and Italian leagues, a feat that cannot be overlooked.
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