"He had to share this era" – Lionel Messi would've won Ballon d'Or 15 times if not for Cristiano Ronaldo, claims Argentina star

Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez recently insisted that Inter Miami star Lionel Messi would have won the Ballon d'Or honor 15 times if not for Al-Nassr ace Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi, 36, lifted his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or award in Paris on Monday, edging out Manchester City attacker Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Kylian Mbappe. He received France Football's honor after helping Argentina lift their third FIFA World Cup trophy in 2022. Messi also made significant contributions to PSG winning the Ligue 1 trophy as well.

A two-time FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner, Messi was in productive form last year. He scored seven goals and provided three assists in seven FIFA World Cup appearances. On the other hand, he registered 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 overall matches for PSG last season.

Before his Argentina captain picked up another laurel, Martinez made a bold claim about the Inter Miami star. He told ESPN (h/t GOAL):

"He had to share this era with Cristiano Ronaldo, otherwise he would have won the Ballon d'Or 15 times."

Messi, who has a contract until December 2025 at Inter Miami, lifted his first Ballon d'Or in 2009 and then won three back-to-back awards in 2010, 2011, and 2012. He also won the honors in 2015, 2019, and 2021.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, won his first in 2008 with Manchester United. He then lifted the award four more times in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 during his illustrious stint with La Liga giants Real Madrid.

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Cristiano Ronaldo once laid into Ballon d'Or chief for lies involving Lionel Messi remarks

Earlier in 2021, then France Football editor Pascal Ferre claimed that Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo's only ambition was to have more Ballon d'Or awards than rival Lionel Messi. He told the New York Times:

"Ronaldo has only one ambition, and that is to retire with more Ballon d'Ors than Messi, and I know that because he has told me."

However, Ronaldo hit back in a social media post shortly after, writing:

"Pascal Ferre lied, he used my name to promote himself and to promote the publication he works for. It is unacceptable that the person responsible for awarding such a prestigious prize could lie in this way, in absolute disrespect for someone who has always respected France Football and the Ballon d'Or."

The 38-year-old, who joined Al-Nassr earlier this January, concluded:

"I always win for myself and for the clubs I represent, I win for myself and for those who love me. I don't win against anyone. The biggest ambition of my career is to win national and international titles for the clubs I represent and for the national team in my country. The biggest ambition of my career is to be a good example for all those who are or want to be professional footballers."

Earlier this September, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United man failed to earn a Ballon d'Or nomination for the first time in 19 years. However, he is still in lethal form at Al-Nassr, registering 14 goals and eight assists in 14 matches across competitions this season.

Meanwhile, the Argentine has netted 11 goals and laid out five assists in 14 games since joining Inter Miami on a free transfer earlier in July.