a decade of war at the Ballon d’Or: messi, Ronaldo and the Age of the Gods

the Ballon d’Or is considered the highest honor for any soccer player in the world. in its long history, there was one decade that was unprecedented. from 2008 to 2017, just two players split the top of world soccer: the “Mejor War” – the Ballon d’Or Messi and Ronaldo era.

a decade dominated by two giants, raising the value of awards

starting with Cristiano Ronaldo’s first win in 2008, Lionel Messi and Ronaldo shared the golden ball five times each over the course of the decade. The fierce rivalry between the two players for the top spot over such a long period of time is unprecedented in the history of the game. Their rivalry fired up soccer fans around the world, and the Ballon d’Or served as the most important scorecard in the eternal debate of “who is the greatest player of all time.” In the process, the prestige and symbolism of the Ballon d’Or has never been higher.

casualties in the war of the gods, moments of controversy

however, the dominance of these two players has also spawned some controversy, as there have been some unfortunate stars who have been overshadowed by the two giants and failed to win the award despite having some of the best performances of their time.

• wesley Sneijder In 2010, despite leading his club Inter Milan to a triple treble, he only finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or voting.
• franck Ribery In 2013, Ribery had a perfect season for Bayern Munich, lifting five major trophies, but had to settle for third place on the podium. ribery said at the time, “I couldn’t have done better. this Ballon d’Or will forever remain an injustice,” he said at the time.

the end of an era, the beginning of a new one

the decade-long reign of “Mejo” was finally broken in 2018 by Croatian playmaker Luka Modric. after leading Real Madrid to a Champions League title and Croatia to a World Cup runner-up finish, he became the first player to end the era of the two gods. Since then, the Ballon d’Or has once again welcomed a new owner every year.

the current generation of stars, including Kylian Mbappe, grew up watching the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo and dreaming of the Ballon d’Or. the decade-long rivalry has left a deep mark on soccer history and will forever be remembered as a great epic that elevated the Ballon d’Or to the next level.