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A section of fans are adamant that Cristiano Ronaldo is still the GOAT even though Lionel Messi won his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or in Paris last night (October 30).
Messi solidified his claim to being the greatest footballer of all time when he was crowned the 2023 Ballon d'Or winner, beating Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to the prestigious award.
The Inter Miami superstar was crowned the Ballon d'Or victor at the Theatre du Chatelet by France Football. The award was given to the Argentine due to his feats during the 2022-23 season instead of the calendar year, for just the second time in football history.
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Lionel Messi had an exceptional campaign for club and country. The Barcelona legend scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), helping the French outfit win the Ligue 1 title.
In addition, Lionel Messi found success at Inter Miami after joining the MLS side over the summer as a free agent. He netted 11 goals and registered five assists in 14 appearances, winning the Leagues Cup - the club's first-ever trophy.
Lionel Messi also led Argentina to 2022 FIFA World Cup glory in December. He scored seven goals, including a brilliant brace in the final against France, winning the Golden Ball for the second time in his legendary career.
Lionel Messi has now won eight Ballons d'Or, the most in history, with Cristiano Ronaldo coming in second with five. Many fans believe that the GOAT debate has finally been settled, however, the latter's fanbase are stubbornly refusing to accept defeat.
One fan posted on X (formerly Twitter):
"Ronaldo has always had it harder anyway, fought from Sporting to get to the top of the world while Messi was breastfed at Barcelona throughout his career. Enjoy another undeserved award."
Another fan wrote the following, implying that Messi's Ballon d'Or win was a handout:
"All deserved, all earned, no handouts needed."
Should Cristiano Ronaldo have been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d'Or? Exploring his stats after Lionel Messi lifts award for eighth time
Lionel Messi made history when he narrowly beat out Erling Haaland to win the 2023 Ballon d'Or. Thirty nominees were shortlisted for the reputable prize last month, but Cristiano Ronaldo was shockingly snubbed for the first time since 2004. Let's take a look at the stats to see if this was a fair decision or not.
The Portugal icon had a poor start to his 2022-23 campaign for Manchester United. He fell out with Erik ten Hag, scoring just three goals in 16 appearances in total.
Ronaldo's contract was mutually terminated last November after he appeared in a controversial interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan where he criticized the club and manager.
Cristiano Ronaldo's fortunes didn't improve as he failed to make an impact for Portugal during the 2022 FIFA World Cup as the Selecao were eliminated in the quarter-finals. Despite ending the season strong, scoring 14 goals in 19 games for Al-Nassr, Ronaldo's exclusion from the final list was most probably justified.
