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Josh Lawless
The 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place on Monday evening and will see the world's best player crowned at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.
Manchester City midfielder and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr are the two favourites for the prize, which is decided by 100 leading journalists from around the world.
These journalists are from FIFA's top 100 member nations and are required to pick their top five from the 30-man shortlist which was released back in September.
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For the Ballon d'Or award, there is no say from any players as that only happens with the rival FIFA: The Best awards, where national team captains vote for their top three in each category.
However there was a period where players could vote for the Ballon d'Or as the award was handled by FIFA.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won the Ballon d'Or 13 times between them, sharing the stage and raising one another's game.
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Yet despite the incredible mutual respect, neither Messi or Ronaldo have ever picked one another as their number one selection in an individual award.
In fact there were no rival votes at all for FIFA's version of the Ballon d'Or, with Messi finally ending the spell when he put Ronaldo in his top three two years in a row in 2018 and 2019.
A year on and Ronaldo returned the favour, putting Messi second in his top three for 'The Best', which was won by Robert Lewandowski.
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Frustratingly, for Lewandowski, the Ballon d'Or was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Messi won the last FIFA Men's Best Player award ahead of Erling Haaland, who he put first in a top three also including Kylian Mbappe and Julian Alvarez.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, refrained from voting in both 2022 and 2023, with Portugal teammate Pepe taking his place instead.
Ballon d'Or:
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2010: Didn't vote
2011: Xavi, Iniesta, Aguero
2012: Iniesta, Xavi, Aguero
2013: Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar
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2014: Di Maria, Iniesta, Mascherano
2015: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
FIFA 'The Best':
2016: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
2017: Suarez, Iniesta, Neymar
2018: Modric, Mbappe, Ronaldo
2019: Mane, Ronaldo, De Jong
2020: Neymar, Mbappe, Lewandowski
2021: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
2022: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
2023: Haaland, Mbappe, Alvarez
Ballon d'Or:
2010: Xavi, Casillas, Sneijder
2011: Did not vote
2012: Did not vote
2013: Falcao, Bale, Ozil
2014: Ramos, Bale, Benzema
2015: Benzema, James Rodriguez, Bale
FIFA's 'The Best':
2016: Bale, Modric, Ramos
2017: Modric, Ramos, Marcelo
2018: Varane, Modric, Griezmann
2019: De Ligt, De Jong, Mbappe
2020: Lewandowski, Messi, Mbappe
2021: Lewandowski, Kante, Jorginho
2022: Did not vote
2023: Did not vote
Topics: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon d'Or
Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field – including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.
@joshlawless_
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