British broadcaster and television personality Piers Morgan has named Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest Ballon d’Or winner of all time, leaving Argentina captain Lionel Messi out of his preferred top three despite the latter's record eight victories in the prestigious individual award.
Morgan disclosed his selection in a post on X on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, amid renewed discussions about football's greatest players following the launch of a special Ballon d’Or fan poll celebrating the history of the award.
The 61-year-old broadcaster placed Cristiano Ronaldo first, followed by Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazário in second position and former Netherlands international Johan Cruyff in third.
His decision to exclude Messi, the most decorated player in Ballon d’Or history, attracted attention because of the longstanding rivalry between the Argentine and Portuguese stars and the continuing debate about their respective achievements.
Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or five times, claiming the award in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017. His first victory came during his time at Manchester United, while the remaining four were secured during his successful spell at Real Madrid.
Messi, meanwhile, holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or awards, winning in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
Despite that numerical advantage, Morgan has consistently expressed his preference for Ronaldo in comparisons between the two footballers.
His latest selection reflects that personal assessment rather than an official ranking issued by France Football, the organisation responsible for the Ballon d’Or.
The broadcaster has maintained a publicly documented relationship with Ronaldo, having interviewed the Portuguese international on several occasions.
In October 2026, Morgan reiterated his belief that Ronaldo was the greatest footballer of all time during an appearance on Sky Sports.
He argued in favour of the Portuguese forward's achievements and longevity, again placing him above Messi in his personal assessment.
Morgan's latest ranking also recognised two prominent figures from earlier generations of football.
Ronaldo Nazário, popularly known as the Brazilian Ronaldo, won the Ballon d’Or in 1997 and 2002.
The former Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan striker was renowned for his acceleration, dribbling ability and finishing.
He played a central role in Brazil's triumph at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring twice against Germany in the final.
His international career also included participation in Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning squad and the 1998 tournament, where the national team finished as runners-up.
Morgan's third selection, Johan Cruyff, won the Ballon d’Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974.
The Dutch football legend became closely associated with the development of Total Football and enjoyed major success with Ajax and Barcelona.
Cruyff's influence extended beyond his playing career through his coaching philosophy, which shaped approaches to possession-based football and tactical organisation.
His achievements and influence remain important parts of football history, although comparing players from different eras involves differences in competition formats, playing conditions and tactical systems.
Morgan's selections were made as France Football promoted its special Ballon d’Or of All Time initiative, known as B.O.A.T.
The initiative allows supporters to vote for outstanding historical Ballon d’Or-winning performances as part of activities celebrating seven decades of the award.
The shortlist includes ten prominent former winners: Alfredo Di Stéfano, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Ronaldo Nazário, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Unlike the traditional Ballon d’Or, which is decided through voting by an international panel of journalists, the special B.O.A.T. exercise involves public participation.
The fan poll is separate from the annual award and does not alter the official record of previous Ballon d’Or winners.
Reports on Tuesday indicated that Cristiano Ronaldo's 2008 season was attracting substantial support in the online voting.
The Portuguese forward's campaign was reportedly ahead of other nominated performances, including those associated with Messi.
However, the reported voting figures represent a snapshot of an ongoing public poll rather than a final result or an authoritative assessment of football history.
The special voting exercise is expected to conclude ahead of the Ballon d’Or ceremony scheduled for October 26 in London.
The competition has also generated renewed discussion about how football greatness should be assessed.
Individual honours, international trophies, club achievements, goalscoring records, technical ability, consistency and influence on the sport are among the criteria frequently considered in such debates.
Ronaldo and Messi have both accumulated extensive individual and team honours during careers spanning more than two decades.
Ronaldo has enjoyed major success in England, Spain and Italy, in addition to his international achievements with Portugal.
Messi spent the majority of his European club career at Barcelona before joining Paris Saint-Germain and later Inter Miami.
He also captained Argentina to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Their contrasting careers have sustained one of football's most prominent individual comparisons.
Morgan's preference for Ronaldo has been consistent, but it does not establish an objective conclusion about which footballer is the greatest.
Similarly, Messi's eight Ballon d’Or victories establish his record in that award category without requiring all observers to adopt the same subjective ranking of football history.
The inclusion of Ronaldo Nazário and Cruyff in Morgan's selections further demonstrates the different generations and playing styles represented in discussions about the sport's leading figures.
As voting continues in the Ballon d’Or of All Time initiative, attention remains focused on the historical achievements of the nominees and the preferences expressed by supporters.
Morgan's latest intervention has added another prominent voice to the discussion, with his decision to exclude Messi from the top three standing out as the most notable feature of his selection.
For the broadcaster, Cristiano Ronaldo remains his preferred choice as the greatest Ballon d’Or winner, ahead of Ronaldo Nazário and Johan Cruyff.
The official record, however, continues to recognise Messi as the player with the highest number of Ballon d’Or awards, with eight titles compared with Ronaldo's five.
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