Lionel Messi has finished ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in a special Ballon d’Or ranking covering 70 years of football history. The Argentine superstar leads with 935 points.
Messi Beats Ronaldo in Historic Ballon d’Or Ranking After 2026 Results
Lionel Messi has beaten Cristiano Ronaldo in a special all-time Ballon d’Or ranking, setting an impressive mark in one of football’s greatest rivalries.
According to a ranking published by Sports Illustrated, Messi leads the list of the most successful players in Ballon d’Or voting history.
The Argentine superstar finished first with 935 points, while Ronaldo took second place with 745.
The results show Messi’s remarkable success and consistency throughout his career.
Messi finishes ahead of Ronaldo in historic ranking
Sports Illustrated created a special ranking to compare players across 70 years of Ballon d’Or history.
The top five players were:
- 1. Lionel Messi: 935 points
- 2. Cristiano Ronaldo: 745 points
- 3. Franz Beckenbauer: 446 points
- 4. Michel Platini: 432 points
- 5. Johan Cruyff: 404 points
Messi finished 190 points ahead of Ronaldo, creating a huge gap between the two football legends.
How were the Ballon d’Or points calculated?
The ranking uses a special system called normalized points.
Instead of simply adding the original voting points, Sports Illustrated compared each player’s score with the maximum points available in that year.
This method helps compare players from different generations because the Ballon d’Or voting rules have changed many times.
However, the ranking is an independent media analysis, not an official record announced by France Football.
Messi continues to make Ballon d’Or history
Messi finished fifth in the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting with 612 points, while Harry Kane won the award with 1,055 points.
Despite missing out on another trophy, the 39-year-old remains the most successful player in the award’s history.
Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards, compared with Ronaldo’s five.
Ronaldo has received more nominations, with 18 compared with Messi’s 17, but the Argentine remains ahead in the number of victories.
Now, Messi also leads Sports Illustrated’s special historical points ranking, adding another achievement to his remarkable football legacy.
