Individual Honors
MESSI vs RONALDO
Ballon d'Or & Individual Awards
📊 Last Updated: August 30, 2026 • Source: Official Stats
Ballon d'Or
All-time record
European Golden Shoe
All-time record
The Best FIFA
Men's Player of the Year
World Cups Won
Plus 2 World Cup Golden Balls for Messi
Ballon d'Or Timeline
Between 2008 and 2017, Messi and Ronaldo combined to win ten consecutive Ballon d'Or awards, the longest individual duopoly in the trophy's history.
Messi — 8 wins
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2015
- 2019
- 2021
- 2023
Includes four consecutive wins from 2009 to 2012 — the longest Ballon d'Or streak by any player.
Ronaldo — 5 wins
- 2008
- 2013
- 2014
- 2016
- 2017
Ronaldo's most recent Ballon d'Or came in 2017, his 5th overall.
Individual Awards Comparison
Individual Awards Comparison
| Award | Messi | Ronaldo |
|---|---|---|
| Ballon d'Or | 8 | 5 |
| European Golden Shoe | 6 | 4 |
| The Best FIFA Men's Player | 4 | 3 |
| FIFA World Player of the Year | 1 | 1 |
| League Titles | 13 | 7 |
| Champions League | 4 | 5 |
| World Cup | 1 | 0 |
Ballon d'Or FAQ
Who has more Ballon d'Ors, Messi or Ronaldo?
Lionel Messi has won 8 Ballon d'Or awards, the most in history, compared to Cristiano Ronaldo's 5. Messi's tally includes wins in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
Who won the most Ballon d'Ors in a row?
Messi holds the record for consecutive Ballon d'Or wins, taking four in a row from 2009 to 2012. Ronaldo's best streak was two straight wins, in 2013 and 2014.
When did Ronaldo last win the Ballon d'Or?
Ronaldo's most recent Ballon d'Or win was in 2017, his fifth overall. Between 2008 and 2017, Messi and Ronaldo combined to win ten consecutive Ballon d'Or awards.
Who has more European Golden Shoes, Messi or Ronaldo?
Messi has won the European Golden Shoe 6 times as the continent's top league scorer, ahead of Ronaldo's 4 wins.
Who has more FIFA Best Men's Player awards?
Messi has won The Best FIFA Men's Player award 4 times against Ronaldo's 3. Ronaldo won the inaugural editions of the award in 2016 and 2017.