Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and every Ballon d’Or winner of the 21st century so far – ranked

Here we are, then, it’s time to hand out another Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual honour in football, its importance only seeming to increase with each passing year. The epic Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry is obviously responsible for its rise to prominence, as an accolade that was once reserved solely for European footballers is now desperately sought by every player on the planet.

However, the Ballon d’Or has long generated as much controversy as it has excitement. Some critics have accused it of becoming a popularity contest, guilty of favouring star strikers over more deserving defenders. Voters also seem to regularly switch between rewarding the most consistent performers and those that stepped up in the biggest games and tournaments.

So, as we approach the end of the first 25 years of the new millennium, GOAL has taken a look back at every Ballon d’Or awarded in the 21st century so far to rank them in terms of brilliance. Disagreement is inevitable, so be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comment section…

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  24Robert Lewandowski* (2020)

  There’s an asterisk beside Robert Lewandowski’s name because he didn’t actually receive an award – but he does warrant at least some recognition. The prolific Pole was the outstanding candidate for the 2020 Ballon d’Or, after scoring 55 goals in just 47 games as Bayern Munich won the treble. However, organisers France Football surprisingly decided against naming a winner because of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

  “For the first time since 1956, the Ballon d’Or will take a break,” editor-in-chief Pascal Ferre explained in a statement released by the magazine. “There will be no edition in 2020, because it turns out, after thoughtful consideration, that all the conditions are not met. We believe that such a singular year cannot – and should not – be treated as an ordinary one.”

  The merits of that decision were hotly disputed, given the overriding feeling was that Lewandowski would have been a very worthy winner. “You deserve your Ballon D’Or,” Messi said in 2021. “Last year, everyone was in agreement to say that you were the big winner. I think France Football should give you your Ballon d’Or. You have to have it in your house.”

  At the time of writing, Lewandowski is still waiting for his award.

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    23Cristiano Ronaldo (2013)

    The 2013 Ballon d’Or is the most controversial in the award’s history. There were all sorts of rumours and accusations surrounding the voting process, so let’s deal only in facts here.

    Lionel Messi had helped Barcelona to win La Liga with 60 goals in 50 games. Cristiano Ronaldo had hit 55 in 55 for Real Madrid but failed to get his hands on any silverware. When the voting was meant to close on November 15, Franck Ribery was the betting favourite, on account of the pivotal role he’d played in Bayern Munich’s treble the previous season.

    However, after the vote was extended for two weeks by FIFA for the first time ever due to a lack of “eligible voters”, Ronaldo finished first, just ahead of Messi and Ribery. Then-UEFA president Michel Platini joked that the extension had been motivated by FIFA’s desire “to please” Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick during an epic World Cup play-off clash with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden during the additional fortnight. Unsurprisingly, though, Ribery didn’t see the funny side and he remains incredibly bitter over the perceived snub.

    “It was unfair,” the former France winger told the Gazzetta dello Sport in 2022. “It was an incredible season for me, and I should have won it. They extended the time for votes, and something strange happened. I felt that it was a political choice.”

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    22Michael Owen (2001)

    Rio Ferdinand recently pointed out that “primetime” Michael Owen doesn’t get the respect he deserves, probably because of the way in which the former England forward was hindered by incessant injuries in his later years. But did he deserve to win the Ballon d’Or in 2001?

    Plenty of people will still tell you that it should have gone to Raul, who was at the peak of his powers at the time, as underlined by his career-high haul of 32 goals in all competitions, which helped Real Madrid win La Liga and their homegrown striker claim the Pichichi.

    Owen scored eight goals fewer for Liverpool across the 2000-01 season, with his hamstrings already becoming something of a problem, but he did generate an awful lot of headlines by famously turning an FA Cup final against Arsenal on its head with a dramatic late double before then hitting a hat-trick for England in their historic 5-1 win over Germany in Munich.

    Owen was unquestionably a media darling at the time, the most exciting young attacker in world football, and his heroics in those two games probably won him the Ballon d’Or.

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    21Andriy Shevchenko (2004)

    As with the previous year, much of the debate around the 2004 ceremony centred around whether Thierry Henry had been once again robbed. The Frenchman had been forced to settle for second spot in 2003, but this time around he didn’t even make the podium, with Henry finishing fourth despite starring for Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ during their unprecedented undefeated Premier League title-winning campaign.

    Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was fuming, pointing out that Henry had registered more goals and assists than the victor, Andriy Shevchenko, during the 2003-04 season. Still, the Ukrainian had fired AC Milan to a first Serie A title in five years and, at the time, there was still an arguably justified belief that it was far more difficult to score goals in Italy than England.

    Furthermore, Henry had been once again hurt by his failure to deliver a decisive display in the latter stages of the Champions League, while it didn’t help either that France suffered a shock quarter-final loss to Greece at the Euros.

    It’s also worth remembering that Deco was also entitled to feel a little miffed, given he’d been the brains behind Porto’s historic treble triumph and Portugal’s run to the final of the European Championship on home soil.

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    20Luis Figo (2000)

    Luis Figo once jokingly apologised to Francesco Totti for stealing the 2000 Ballon d’Or from the Italian, but if anyone was entitled to feel hard done by, it was Zinedine Zidane, who finished second. After a relatively poor club campaign with Juventus, the Frenchman had illuminated Euro 2000, inspiring his country to victory with a string of sensational displays that resulted in the majestic No.10 being named Player of the Tournament.

    However, Figo finished with 16 more votes than Zidane because of his greater consistency over the course of the year. The legendary winger didn’t lift a single trophy, but he was excellent in La Liga for both Barcelona and Real Madrid – whom he joined in the summer of 2000 in one of the most controversial transfers in football history – while he also impressed during Portugal’s run to the semi-finals of the Euros and ended up in the Team of the Tournament alongside Zidane.

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    19Ronaldo (2002)

    The 2002 World Cup was the story of Ronaldo’s redemption. The Brazilian had just seen his final season at Inter once again decimated by injury, and even though he’d returned in time to score four goals in three games during the Serie A title run-in, the Nerazzurri threw the Scudetto away with a final-day loss at Lazio.

    However, we still saw the return of the real Ronaldo that summer, with the striker scoring eight times – including twice in the final – as Brazil claimed their fifth world title. More importantly, Ronaldo had exorcised the ghosts of the 1998 final loss to France. Consequently, nobody else really stood a chance in the Ballon d’Or vote.

    Ronaldo’s team-mate Roberto Carlos had a seriously strong claim on top spot, given the left-back had also helped Madrid win the Champions League, but 2002 was all about a resurgent Ronaldo re-establishing himself as the most thrilling talent in football – there was just no getting in the way of that rousing narrative.

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    18Pavel Nedved (2003)

    Pavel Nedved’s Ballon d’Or triumph came as quite the shock – even to the man himself. “For me, Thierry Henry is the best forward in the world now,” the Czech said. “I am very happy. I did not think I would beat Thierry Henry, Paolo Maldini or Zinedine Zidane.”

    Maldini, arguably the greatest defender of all time, was entitled to consider himself seriously unlucky, in the sense that he had led AC Milan to victory in the 2002-03 Champions League, but much of media focus was – and still is – on Henry, who was utterly unplayable in England at the time. Indeed, he’d just become the first player to both score and create 20-plus goals in the same Premier League season – a record that remains intact to this day.

    In fairness to Nedved, he’d had a fine campaign himself, helping Juventus win the Serie A title. It was his heroics in Europe, though, that clearly swayed the voters. Whereas Henry’s Arsenal didn’t even make the Champions League knockout stages, Nedved produced decisive displays in Juve’s second-leg wins over both Barcelona and Real Madrid, in the quarters and the semis, respectively, while he was sorely missed in the final, for which he was suspended.

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    17Lionel Messi (2010)

    Messi scored 60 goals for club and country in 2010, but even he didn’t expect to win his second successive Ballon d’Or. “It was already just great to be here next to my two friends,” he said as he stood on stage alongside Barcelona team-mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi, who finished second and third, respectively.

    In Spain, they felt that Iniesta had been robbed, given the midfielder had scored the winner in the World Cup final for La Roja, whereas Messi’s Argentina had suffered an embarrassing loss to Germany in the last eight. In the Netherlands, meanwhile, they argued it was Wesley Sneijder who had been the victim of theft, given he had been integral to not only the Dutch finishing as runners-up at South Africa 2010 – but also Inter beating Barca on their way to completing a treble by winning the Champions League.

    Was Messi the best player in the world at the time? Absolutely – he had proved that with 34 goals in 35 games during Barca’s successful Spanish title defence. But did he deserve the Ballon d’Or? If the usual level of importance had been attached to winning either the Champions League or a major international trophy, then no, definitely not.

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    16Kaka (2007)

    Kaka managed to get his hands on the Ballon d’Or just before Ronaldo and Messi’s decade of dominance – and the Brazilian owed his victory to his sensational performances in the Champions League. Just like AC Milan, Kaka didn’t enjoy a vintage season in Serie A. However, he was a different beast in continental competition.

    After striking five times in the group stage, Kaka really came into his own in the knockouts, scoring the only goal of last-16 tie with Celtic, after gliding through the Bhoys’ backline with characteristic elegance. He was also on target against Bayern Munich in the quarters, but it was in the semis that he really cemented his reputation as the finest attacking talent in the world, with Kaka scoring three goals in total against Manchester United, including one stunning solo effort at Old Trafford that left both Gabriel Heinze and Patrice Evra red-faced.

    The silky Selecao star also teed up Pippo Inzaghi for the decisive second goal as Milan gained revenge for Istanbul by beating Liverpool in the final in Athens – a result that made Kaka’s Ballon d’Or triumph a formality.

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    15Lionel Messi (2019)

    After winning a record-breaking sixth Ballon d’Or, Lionel Messi said, “I am very lucky.” He was speaking generally, but many felt those words could also be applied to his victory in the France Football vote. He had, after all, won by just seven points from Virgil van Dijk, the classy and commanding Dutch centre-back who had transformed Liverpool into Champions League winners.

    “I’m proud of what I’ve achieved,” the Dutchman said. “It was amazing. But there are a couple of players like [Messi] who are fantastic. It’s going to be tough [to win the award] when these guys are around.”

    There may have been a subtext there, but there was no denying that Messi had once again enjoyed a remarkable season, winning the European Golden Boot (his sixth) thanks to 36 goals in 34 games during Barcelona’s Liga success, while also finishing top scorer in the Champions League, with 12.

    “It will be tough [to win another Ballon d’Or], but I still have some years ahead of me,” Messi warned.

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    14Cristiano Ronaldo (2014)

    If Ronaldo’s second Ballon d’Or had been debatable at best, his third was anything but, with the Real Madrid superstar producing arguably the greatest Champions League campaign ever seen. Ronaldo scored a barely believable 17 times in just 11 appearances as Los Blancos finally won ‘La Decima’ by beating city rivals Atletico in a dramatic final in Lisbon and, by the end, he had only failed to score in one game throughout the entire competition.

    Consequently, it didn’t even matter that Ronaldo, who had hit 51 goals in 47 games in all competitions for Madrid, flopped at the 2014 World Cup, as Portugal suffered an embarrassing group-stage elimination.

    “I never thought that I would bring this trophy back home on three occasions, but I want to win it again,” an emotional Ronaldo declared after once again finishing ahead of Messi, who had won the Golden Ball at Brazil 2014 but suffered a heart-breaking defeat in the final, and Manuel Neuer, Germany’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper. “I want to become one of the greatest players of all time.”

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    13Lionel Messi (2021)

    Robert Lewandowski was cruelly denied the Ballon d’Or in 2020, but was he also robbed in 2021? The Pole had broken the Bundesliga single-season goals record by scoring 41 times in just 29 games for Bayern Munich.

    However, there were shades of Henry in 2004 about his failed Ballon d’Or bid, with his teams coming up short in both the Champions League and the European Championship. There’s also no getting away from the fact that nothing like the same respect was attached to scoring freely in the Bundesliga, which Bayern had just won for the ninth time in a row.

    And, as with Ronaldo in 2002, the power of narrative also played a pivotal role, as Messi finally won a major honour with Argentina, lifting the Copa America after being named Player of the Tournament. Given how the Ballon d’Or voting usually works, we all knew that there was only going to be one winner from that moment on.

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    12Cristiano Ronaldo (2017)

    There were signs in 2017 that Ronaldo’s remarkable goalscoring powers were on the wane, but when the pressure ramped up, he responded emphatically.

    He scored five times in the final three games of the Liga season as Real Madrid won their first Spanish title for five years. Then, after going six matches without a goal in the Champions League, he hit 10 against Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Juventus as Zinedine Zidane’s side retained their European crown.

    It felt like there was no greater ‘big-game’ player in the world and, as the Portuguese moved level with Messi on five Ballons d’Or, Brazil legend Pele told Ronaldo, “I would have loved to have played on the same side as you!”

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    11Luka Modric (2018)

    For the first time since 2007, someone other than Ronaldo and Messi lifted the Ballon d’Or – and Luka Modric was rightly thrilled with himself for ending the duopoly.

    “Maybe in the past there are some players who could have won the Ballon d’Or like Xavi, Andres Iniesta or [Wesley] Sneijder, but people finally now are looking at someone else,” the midfielder said. “This award is for all the players who probably deserved to win it and didn’t. It is difficult to express my emotion and how I feel in words. It is something unique for me. It is very special.” And deserved, too.

    With his wonderful mix of innovation and industry, Modric had been once again key as Real Madrid won the Champions League for the third year in a row with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool, before then leading Croatia, a country of just four million people, to the final of the 2018 World Cup.

    Ronaldo had been Modric’s closest challenger, but the prolific Madrid forward paid the price for Portugal’s last-16 elimination in Russia. Antoine Griezmann had gone all the way with France, and was even named Man of the Match in Les Bleus’ 4-2 win over Croatia in the final, but it was Modric who still end up winning the tournament’s Golden Ball – and then France Football‘s Ballon d’Or because of his sustained excellence over the entire year.

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    10Fabio Cannavaro (2006)

    Back in the day, the World Cup had a massive influence over Ballon d’Or voters, who nearly always gave the prize to a key member of the tournament-winning team. It, thus, came as no surprise to see Fabio Cannavaro finish first in 2006, given he had just led Italy to an epic victory in Germany.

    The Azzurri had some outstanding attacking talents, but their triumph was founded upon a brilliant backline that conceded just twice in seven games: an own goal and a penalty. Gigi Buffon was outstanding in goal and finished second in the Ballon dOr vote, just ahead of Thierry Henry, who had been on the losing side in the World Cup final, but Cannavaro was a clear and deserving winner, the inspirational skipper who had earned the nickname ‘The Berlin Wall’ because of his masterful defensive displays.

    Indeed, his performance in the semi-final win over Germany, which remains one of the greatest games ever played, is the stuff of legend, with Cannavaro effectively creating Italy’s killer second goal by winning his own clearance some 30 metres from his own goal. Defenders rarely get the recognition they deserve for their performances, but there was simply no overlooking Cannavaro in 2006 – particularly as he’d also been excellent during Juventus’ Serie A title triumph (even though the Bianconeri were later stripped of the Scudetto because of their involvement in ‘Calciopoli’).

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    9Lionel Messi (2023)

    The 2023 Ballon d’Or was, for just the second time in the history of the award, based on the previous season’s results and that changed everything, because it brought the often-decisive, mid-winter World Cup into play.

    Erling Haaland may have fired Manchester City to a treble with 52 goals in 53 games, but he didn’t even get to play in Qatar, with Norway failing to qualify. Messi, though, illuminated the tournament, breaking one record after another during one magical performance after another as Argentina won the World Cup for the first time since 1986 by beating a Kylian Mbappe-inspired France in arguably the greatest final ever played.

    By carrying his country to the ultimate glory, Messi had finally emulated Maradona and effectively completed football in the process. Consequently, while there were legitimate doubts over whether Haaland was the best player at City (he wasn’t – it was Rodri), nobody could dispute Messi’s status as the greatest of all-time. He had proven it on the game’s grandest stage.

    As third-placed Mbappe said, “When Messi wins the World Cup, Messi has to win the Ballon d’Or. Haaland had a great season, me too, but next to winning a World Cup, it doesn’t weigh much. On the night of 18th December I knew that I had lost the World Cup and the Ballon d’Or too. Leo deserved it.”

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    8Karim Benzema (2022)

    For the first time, the Ballon d’Or voting was based on performances during the preceding European season, rather than the entire year of action since the previous award, making Karim Benzema’s triumph inevitable. The France forward, who had been for so long forced to play second fiddle to Ronaldo at Real Madrid, was absolutely sensational during the 2021-22 campaign and, thus, finally got the credit his all-round excellence had long warranted.

    Indeed, despite having a great season with Liverpool and Senegal, second-placed Sadio Mane didn’t even get close to Benzema, who scored a whopping 44 goals in just 46 matches as Madrid won both La Liga and the Champions League. Benzema’s performances in Europe were historic, decisive and magical, with the Frenchman scoring 10 goals in five consecutive knockout games at one point, including back-to-back hat-tricks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, as well as a vital double at Manchester City.

    As Messi acknowledged, “Benzema deserves the Ballon d’Or for the great year he had, but also what he has been doing throughout his career. He’s a wonderful player and I think it is important for him, and football, that he has this recognition.”

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    7Cristiano Ronaldo (2008)

    After finishing second the year before, Cristiano Ronaldo went one better in 2008 by taking top spot thanks to a sensational season for Manchester United. The Portuguese had arrived at Old Trafford as a skinny, jinking winger renowned for his flicks and tricks. By this point, though, he had developed into the complete attacker, and finished as top scorer in both the Premier League (31 goals) and Champions League (eight) as United pulled off a stunning double.

    “It’s incredible considering I only started my career a few years ago,” enthused Ronaldo, who missed a penalty in the Champions League final shootout against Chelsea that luckily went unpunished by John Terry, but had earlier opened the scoring with a towering header for his 42nd and final goal in all competitions that season. “I must thank all the people who voted for me and especially my team-mates, who passed the ball to me to allow me to be the best.”

    Messi finished a distant second in the voting, with Fernando Torres third – even though the Spaniard had enjoyed a stunning debut campaign at Liverpool and netted the winner in the Euro 2008 final.
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    6Ronaldinho (2005)

    Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard deserved their podium places in 2005. The former had inspired Liverpool to the unlikeliest of Champions League triumphs, while the latter had been instrumental in Chelsea winning a first English title for 50 years. However, neither man could have any complaints about being beaten to the Ballon d’Or by Ronaldinho.

    The Brazilian enjoyed more prolific seasons at Barcelona – he only scored nine times during the club’s 2004-05 Spanish title triumph – but he was a joy to watch every single time he stepped onto a football field that year, constantly doing things with the ball that nobody had ever seen before.

    The human highlight reel scored a goal at Chelsea in the Champions League that still takes the breath away, while the week before he was crowned the best player on the planet he was afforded a standing ovation by Real Madrid fans at Santiago Bernabeu – the ultimate tribute to his magical talent.

    For about three years between 2004 and 2007, Ronaldinho was the glorious personification of ‘Joga Bonito‘.

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    5Cristiano Ronaldo (2016)

    For a long time, it looked like Messi would win the 2016 Ballon d’Or, with Barca storming towards a domestic double. However, everything changed over the course of the summer, as Ronaldo put the seal on another sensational Champions League campaign – 16 goals in 12 games – by converting the winning penalty in the final shootout with Atletico Madrid before leading a desperately average Portugal side to a shock European Championship triumph in France.

    Messi, by contrast, suffered yet more international heartbreak, missing a spot-kick in Argentina’s devastating Copa America loss to Chile. The net result was Ronaldo winning the Ballon d’Or by a record points margin.

    “2016 is undoubtedly the best year of my career, both collectively and as an individual,” the victor told France Football after claiming his fourth award. “Winning something with Portugal was what was missing from my CV. It was one of the most important moments of my life.”

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    4Lionel Messi (2012)

    Gary Lineker once pointed out that the problem with the Ballon d’Or – an individual accolade in a team sport – is that if it’s meant to be about recognising the best player in the world, Messi would have to win every year. By 2012, it was looking like he would. Messi claimed a historic fourth-consecutive Ballon d’Or even though Barca hadn’t managed to win either La Liga or the Champions League. Nobody had any complaints, though, because Messi was playing a completely different sport to everyone else.

    Barca duo Xavi and Iniesta had tasted more international glory with Spain, at the Euros – a tournament at which Andrea Pirlo had also been excellent – while both Ronaldo and Radamel Falcao had both scored lots of goals. Just nowhere near as many as Messi, who broke Gerd Muller’s record for a calendar year by netting 91 times in 2012. It’s a frankly absurd tally that is unlikely to ever be bettered, which is why Messi ended up winning the Ballon d’Or vote by a landslide.

    “To tell you the truth, this is really quite unbelievable,” Messi admitted. “It is just too great for words.” A bit like his form in 2012.

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    3Lionel Messi (2009)

    Roles were reversed in 2009 as Messi beat 2008 winner Ronaldo to the Ballon d’Or – and by a then-record margin, with the Argentine the almost unanimous pick for top spot after inspiring Barcelona to a historic treble.

    Messi was the outstanding talent in one of the greatest teams ever assembled. The diminutive No.10 scored 38 goals in all competitions, as Barca won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, and the bigger the game, the better he played. He netted in both Clasico wins over Real Madrid, including the famous 6-2 drubbing of Los Blancos at the Bernabeu, while he also popped up with a rare – but magnificent – header in the European Cup final win over Ronaldo’s Manchester United that put his first Ballon d’Or win beyond all doubt.

    “Honestly, I knew that I was among the favourites because Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009, but I didn’t expect to win with such a margin,” Messi said after finishing 240 points ahead of the Portuguese – and just seven shy of a maximum score. “For me, it’s a big honour.”

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    2Lionel Messi (2011)

    There had been some debate over Messi’s Ballon d’Or triumph the previous year, but the 2011 award was never going to anyone but the Argentine. Messi was simply sensational as Barcelona won a Primera Division and Champions League double, hitting an incredible 53 goals in just 55 appearances, including another against Manchester United – this time at Wembley – as Pep Guardiola’s era-defining side conquered Europe for the second time in three seasons.

    “Critics have always questioned whether players like Pele from the 50s could play today,” Sir Alex Ferguson said at the Ballon d’Or ceremony. “The answer to that is, great players would play in any generation. Lionel Messi could play in the 1950s and the present day, as could Alfredo Di Stefano, Pele, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff because they are all great players. Lionel Messi without question fits into that category.”

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    1Lionel Messi (2015)

    “It’s a very special moment for me to be back here on this stage winning another Ballon d’Or after being in the audience watching Cristiano win for two years,” Messi said in 2015, after preventing Ronaldo from drawing level with him on four Ballons d’Or and instead moving two clear of his great rival.

    “It’s incredible that it’s my fifth, it’s much more than anything I dreamed of as a kid, and I want to thank my team-mates. As I always say, without them, none of this would ever have been possible.”

    Messi was certainly fortunate to play in a stellar squad, with Barcelona having signed Luis Suarez the year before to form arguably the finest attacking triumvirate the game had ever seen.

    Both Suarez and Neymar were outstanding as the Blaugrana won another treble, but Messi was still their talisman. He’d also evolved, become an even greater playmaker than before, and was involved in 137 goals across the calendar year. None was more beautiful than the opener in the Copa del Rey final win over Athletic Club that showcased his unrivalled genius with a ball at his feet, although the way in which he famously wrongfooted Jerome Boateng while scoring another sensational solo strike against Bayern Munich in the Champions League arguably made that particular goal even more iconic.

    “Messi is impossible to describe,” Javier Mascherano said. “You just have to watch him.”