Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have received disappointing news after Ballon d’Or organisers officially clarified the future of the legendary Super Ballon d’Or. Despite growing excitement around a special fan poll, the historic award will not return in 2026.
Ballon d’Or Confirms Disappointing News for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will not receive the legendary Super Ballon d’Or in 2026 after the award’s organisers made an important official announcement.
With the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony approaching, speculation had grown about whether one of football’s greatest legends could receive a special historic trophy.
The discussion became even bigger after the organisers launched a new fan vote called the Ballon d’Or Of All Time (B.O.A.T.).
However, the organisers have now clarified that the two awards are completely different.
According to an official statement published on October 22, the Super Ballon d’Or has not been scheduled to return, meaning neither Messi nor Ronaldo can win the historic trophy this year.
Ballon d’Or organisers make official announcement
On October 22, the official Ballon d’Or website published a statement explaining the difference between the B.O.A.T. vote and the famous Super Ballon d’Or.
The announcement followed growing questions from supporters about whether the new fan poll would decide the winner of the legendary award.
However, the organisers made their position clear.
The B.O.A.T. is only a special public vote and is not connected to the Super Ballon d’Or.
It does not include a physical trophy and will not be presented as an official award during the 2026 ceremony.
This means that winning the fan vote will not give Messi or Ronaldo another official Ballon d’Or title.
The announcement has disappointed supporters who had hoped to see one of the two superstars receive a unique award.
What is the Super Ballon d’Or?
The Super Ballon d’Or is one of the rarest individual awards in football history.
Unlike the regular Ballon d’Or, it has only been presented once.
In December 1989, France Football organised a special vote to recognise the greatest multiple Ballon d’Or winner of the previous three decades.
Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano won the award after finishing ahead of Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini.
More than three decades later, Di Stefano remains the only footballer ever to receive the Super Ballon d’Or.
The trophy was awarded following votes from football experts, former winners and readers.
Since 1989, France Football has never organised another official edition.
Messi and Ronaldo miss out on the historic award
The latest announcement is particularly interesting because Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the Ballon d’Or for almost two decades.
Messi holds the all-time record with eight Ballon d’Or titles, while Ronaldo has won the prestigious award five times.
Their incredible achievements have made them two of the most discussed candidates whenever the possibility of another Super Ballon d’Or is mentioned.
However, the organisers have now confirmed that no official date has been set for a second edition.
As a result, there will be no Super Ballon d’Or winner in 2026, despite speculation involving the two football legends.
Importantly, this does not mean Messi or Ronaldo have been rejected from an official Super Ballon d’Or competition.
There is simply no new edition of the award scheduled.
Ronaldo dominates special Ballon d’Or fan vote
Although the Super Ballon d’Or will not return this year, Ronaldo is currently leading the separate B.O.A.T. poll.
According to official figures published on October 20, Ronaldo’s incredible 2008 season has received 75% of the votes.
Messi’s legendary 2012 season is second with 9%, while Ronaldo’s 2017 campaign is third with 6%.
These figures represent individual Ballon d’Or-winning seasons rather than the total number of votes received by each player across all nominated years.
Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign was one of the greatest of his career.
He scored 42 goals for Manchester United while winning the Premier League, Champions League and European Golden Shoe.
Meanwhile, Messi’s 2012 season is remembered for his incredible record of 91 goals in a calendar year.
Despite the huge difference in votes, the result will only decide a fan favourite and will not produce another official Ballon d’Or winner.
Paid voting system causes controversy
The special poll has also attracted criticism because of its unusual voting system.
Supporters must pay €1 for each vote and are allowed to vote multiple times.
That means someone who spends €100 can cast 100 votes for their favourite player.
The system has raised questions about whether the final result will reflect football popularity or the amount of money supporters are willing to spend.
However, multiple paid votes are permitted under the official rules.
The organisers explain that the payment gives fans access to a special digital photograph and other benefits.
Voting will close on October 27, with the final results announced on October 28.
What happens at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony?
The official 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on October 26 at the London Palladium in England.
The event will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the famous award.
Unlike the B.O.A.T. poll, the main Ballon d’Or winner will be decided through votes from selected journalists.
Messi remains among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or, while Ronaldo is not included on the shortlist.
The ceremony will also recognise the best young players, goalkeepers, coaches and clubs in world football.
However, the Super Ballon d’Or is not included among this year’s official awards.
Will the Super Ballon d’Or ever return?
The future of the historic award remains uncertain.
France Football has not announced plans to organise another Super Ballon d’Or vote.
Although some supporters believe Messi or Ronaldo deserve the special trophy, there is currently no official competition for either player to enter.
The organisers have confirmed only that no date has been set for a second edition. They have not announced that the award has been permanently cancelled.
For now, Alfredo Di Stefano remains the only winner in history.
The latest announcement also makes it clear that the current fan vote cannot change that record.
Disappointing news for two football legends
Messi and Ronaldo have spent nearly two decades competing for football’s greatest individual honours.
Together, they have won 13 Ballon d’Or trophies and created countless records.
The possibility of one of them receiving the Super Ballon d’Or has naturally attracted huge attention from supporters around the world.
However, the latest official announcement has ended speculation about such an award being presented in 2026.
While Ronaldo continues to dominate the B.O.A.T. fan vote and Messi remains in the race for the regular 2026 Ballon d’Or, neither player will receive the historic Super Ballon d’Or this year.
Whether France Football will ever bring the legendary trophy back remains an unanswered question.
For now, the message is clear: the B.O.A.T. is not the Super Ballon d’Or, and Alfredo Di Stefano remains the only player to have won football’s rarest individual award.
