How Messi and Ronaldo voted at Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best awards
With the FIFA Best Awards returning to the spotlight this week, past voting records show how Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo judged the game when they were briefly part of the process.
Both players spent more than a decade defining individual honors in men’s football. Less examined is the period when they were allowed to cast ballots themselves, during years when FIFA and France Football shared oversight of major awards.
What the ballots show
Voting data published by FIFA and France Football indicates that neither player consistently backed the other when voting was permitted. Their selections instead leaned toward teammates and standout performers from their own leagues.
The pattern offers a glimpse into how professional players evaluated form and influence at the highest level, rather than simply rewarding reputation.
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Dominance and what followed
Messi and Ronaldo combined for 13 Ballon d’Or titles, with Messi winning eight and Ronaldo five. For much of the 2010s, their presence on shortlists was almost automatic.
That era has now passed. Neither player appeared among the Ballon d’Or nominees in 2024, when Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the award, according to France Football. Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele claimed the most recent Ballon d’Or, reflecting a broader generational shift.
When players were eligible to vote
The Ballon d’Or is currently decided by journalists alone. During its period of alignment with FIFA, however, players were also granted voting rights.
During that time, Messi and Ronaldo did not include one another on their Ballon d’Or ballots. Their votes instead favored club teammates particularly from Barcelona and Real Madrid as well as emerging stars across Europe.
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Messi later placed Ronaldo in his top three for FIFA’s The Best awards in both 2018 and 2019, voting records show.
A rare acknowledgment
Ronaldo returned the gesture in 2020, ranking Messi second in his FIFA Best ballot. Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski won the award that year after a season widely noted for its scoring output and consistency.
Those votes remain among the few documented examples of the two players publicly recognizing one another in award voting.
Focus on Doha
The 2025 FIFA Best Awards ceremony takes place Tuesday night in Doha, Qatar. Dembele is seeking to add FIFA Best honors to his recent Ballon d’Or win.
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Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati is among the leading candidates for the women’s prize. The men’s FIFA Best award in 2024 was won by Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr, according to FIFA.
Voting patterns over time
A review of the ballots shows clear preferences.
Messi’s votes frequently went to former Barcelona teammates including Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Neymar and Luis Suarez, before shifting toward younger players such as Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.
Ronaldo’s selections often reflected his years at Real Madrid, featuring Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema, before expanding to international standouts. In recent editions, he did not submit votes, consistent with his reduced participation in the awards process.
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Voting records
Lionel Messi:
Ballon d’Or
2010: Did not vote
2011: Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Aguero
2012: Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Sergio Aguero
2013: Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar
2014: Angel Di Maria, Andres Iniesta, Javier Mascherano
2015: Luis Suarez, Neymar, Andres Iniesta
FIFA “The Best”
2016: Luis Suarez, Neymar, Andres Iniesta
2017: Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta, Neymar
2018: Luka Modric, Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo
2019: Sadio Mane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Frenkie de Jong
2020: Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Robert Lewandowski
2021: Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema
2022: Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema
2023: Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Julian Alvarez
2024: Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr
Cristiano Ronaldo:
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Ballon d’Or
2010: Xavi, Iker Casillas, Wesley Sneijder
2011: Did not vote
2012: Did not vote
2013: Radamel Falcao, Gareth Bale, Mesut Ozil
2014: Sergio Ramos, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema
2015: Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale
FIFA “The Best”
2016: Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos
2017: Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo
2018: Raphael Varane, Luka Modric, Antoine Griezmann
2019: Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong, Kylian Mbappe
2020: Robert Lewandowski, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe
2021: Robert Lewandowski, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho
2022: Did not vote
2023: Did not vote
2024: Did not vote
Sources: FIFA, France Football
