Messi and Ronaldo reignite Ballon d'Or debate while playing outside Europe

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who stood out with their performances at the 2026 World Cup, have reignited the debate over whether the Ballon d'Or can be awarded to players in leagues outside Europe. France Football magazine noted that although the rules allow it, almost all winners have played for European clubs.

Scraper SystemJuly 17, 2026, 11:03 AM

Messi and Ronaldo reignite Ballon d'Or debate while playing outside Europe

A notable debate is unfolding in this year's race for football's most prestigious individual award, the Ballon d'Or. Two legends playing in the US and Saudi Arabian leagues, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have brought the award chances of leagues outside Europe to the fore.

Argentina national team captain Lionel Messi stood out with 8 goals and 4 assists at the 2026 World Cup. The 39-year-old star, while playing for Inter Miami, claimed the title of the tournament's all-time top scorer and broke the record for most goal contributions.

Portugal exited the tournament after being eliminated by Spain in the round of 16. The 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, announced he will continue his national team career. Ronaldo, who led Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr to the league title, keeps his Ballon d'Or hopes alive with his success outside Europe.

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The historical barrier of non-European leagues in the Ballon d'Or

According to France Football magazine's analysis, the current rules of the Ballon d'Or impose no restrictions regarding the league in which a player competes. The award is given to "the best footballer in the world."

However, historical data paints a different picture. First 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 must be at a European club. In 2007, all restrictions were lifted, making the award global.

France Football's review of the last 18 years shows that since 2007, all winners were playing for European clubs at the time they received 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.

Messi's special case in 2023

The only person to break this pattern was Lionel Messi in 2023. The Argentine star had already transferred to Inter Miami when he won the award. However, France Football notes that this cannot be considered a full exception, because from 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 leading Argentina to World Cup glory. His transfer to Inter Miami took place at the end of the evaluation period.

The magazine stresses that it is theoretically possible for a player outside Europe to win the Ballon d'Or, but history proves how difficult it is. However, the growth of the US league (MLS) in particular, and the increasing media and investment interest in football outside Europe, could change this in the future.

France Football stated, "The Ballon d'Or is now organizationally open to players from all over the world, but historical facts show that the road to the golden platform often passes through European stadiums."

Messi and Ronaldo reignite Ballon d'Or debate while playing outside Europe