Carlo Ancelotti responds after being asked whether Pele would have won more Ballons d’Or playing in Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s era 

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti provided a pragmatic response when asked whether Pele would have won more Ballons d'Or in Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's era.

Ronaldo and Messi made the Ballon d'Or award a matter of personal rivalry during the peak years of their careers. Ronaldo has won it five times and Messi has won it a record seven times.

Ancelotti faced a hypothetical question from the media as he was asked whether Pele would have been more successful in winning the award had he played in the modern era. Ancelotti replied (quotes via Madrid Universal):

“Who can guess that? The good thing is that there are generations in which there are Messi, Pele, Cristiano, and Maradona, that is the good thing about football. It is impossible to compare these football geniuses. Pele left an image for the national team as a player.”

Pele, Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi are among the greatest footballers of all time. While fans often debate who is the greatest among these legends, it's difficult to choose one. Due to the different eras and leagues they have played in, it's tough to compare them in terms of pure achievements.

Can Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe replicate Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's Ballon d'Or rivalry?

While Lionel Messi is once again among the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or in 2023, he is now 36. Much like 38-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi is at the tail end of his legendary career.

Hence, fans might wonder which players, if any, can replicate the duo's dominance for the individual award in the coming years. Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are the two safest bets in that regard.

Haaland, however, played down any comparison with Ronaldo and Messi as the Norwegian striker implied that both he and Mbappe have a long way to go before reaching that level. He said last month (via French Football Weekly):

“That’s what everyone seems to think. But be careful, we must emphasize to what extent Messi and Cristiano have done crazy things. We must also remember that they still do it, because even if they get older, obviously, they remain fantastic players."

Erling Haaland is the top favorite alongside Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or in 2023. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, is not on the 30-player shortlist for this year's award.