Messi and Ronaldo spark Ballon d'Or debate for players outside Europe

With their standout performances at the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have reignited the debate on whether the Ballon d'Or can go to players outside European leagues. While the rules allow it, France Football's analysis shows that historically almost all winners played for European clubs.

Scraper SystemJuly 17, 2026, 11:02 AM

Messi and Ronaldo spark Ballon d'Or debate for players outside Europe

As the race for football's most prestigious individual award, the Ballon d'Or, heats up, two legendary figures have reopened the debate on the chances of players in non-European leagues. Lionel Messi, who plays for Inter Miami in the United States, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who wears the jersey of Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, have sparked a new discussion about the future of the award with their performances at the 2026 World Cup.

Messi, the 39-year-old captain of the Argentina national team, scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists in the tournament, becoming the all-time top scorer in World Cup history and breaking the record for most goal contributions. Portugal, meanwhile, bowed out of the tournament after losing to Spain in the round of 16, but 41-year-old Ronaldo announced he would continue his international career.

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The historical barrier for non-European leagues

According to analysis by France Football magazine, the Ballon d'Or rules impose no restrictions on the league in which a player competes. The award is given to the world's best footballer. However, historical data shows a different practice. Since 2007, all winners have been playing for European clubs at the time of receiving the award.

Names like Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema, and Rodri stood out for their performances in the Champions League or major European leagues. Originally awarded in 1956 only to European players in European leagues, the prize was opened to all nationalities in 1995 but retained the requirement that the player be with a European club. In 2007, all restrictions were lifted, making the award truly global.

Messi's exceptional case in 2023

The only player to break this pattern was Lionel Messi in 2023. The Argentine star had transferred to Inter Miami when he won the award. However, France Football notes that this cannot be considered a full exception, because starting in 2022, the award began to be given based on season performance from August to July rather than the calendar year.

Messi's 2023 award was largely based on his 2022-2023 season at Paris Saint-Germain and his leading Argentina to World Cup glory. His move to Inter Miami came at the end of the evaluation period. The magazine emphasizes that theoretically a player from outside Europe could win the Ballon d'Or, but history proves how difficult it is.

France Football noted, 'The Ballon d'Or is now organizationally open to players from all over the world, but historical reality shows that the path to the golden platform often passes through European stadiums.' The growth of the US league (MLS) and the increasing media and investment interest in football outside Europe could change this in the future.

Messi and Ronaldo spark Ballon d'Or debate for players outside Europe