Ronaldo wins 5th Ballon d’Or to tie Messi’s record

Cristiano Ronaldo claimed his fifth Ballon d’Or Thursday, equaling the record set by eternal rival Lionel Messi.

Some of the biggest and best names to ever play the game were quick to congratulate the Portugal international.

Brazilian Pele, considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, said: “I would love to have played on the same side as you!”

High praise indeed.

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/Pele/status/938847251052597249″,”author_name”:”Pele”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/Pele”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Congratulations to &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;@Cristiano&#lt;/a&#gt; on winning this year's Ballon d'Or. I would love to have played on the same side as you! // Parabens ao &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;@Cristiano&#lt;/a&#gt; por conquistar o Ballon d'Or este ano. Eu adoraria ter tido a chance de jogar ao seu lado! &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BallondOr?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;#BallondOr&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;— Pele (@Pele) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/Pele/status/938847251052597249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;December 7, 2017&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

After a decade of dominance and winning the previous 10 Ballon d’Ors between them, people are beginning to wonder if anybody else apart from Ronaldo or Messi will ever win the title.

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/Shawnife_/status/939032250510745600″,”author_name”:”Iseunife The First”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/Shawnife_”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;10 years of the Messi and Ronaldo dominance. It is okay. It's already becoming stale �&#lt;br&#gt;&#lt;br&#gt;They need new competition.&#lt;/p&#gt;— Iseunife The First (@Shawnife_) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/Shawnife_/status/939032250510745600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;December 8, 2017&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe, who finished seventh in his first Ballon d’Or ranking at just the age of 18, is many people’s pick as a future winner.

Ronaldo recalls meeting the Frenchman only a few years ago.

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Inevitably, Thursday’s award reignited the debate as to who is the best player: Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi?

Fans of the Portuguese star were keen to let Messi know the Argentine once held a 4-1 Ballon d’Or lead over Ronaldo.

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/GeniusFootball/status/939070616753377281″,”author_name”:”GeniusFootball”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/GeniusFootball”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;When you're 4-1 up but then Ronaldo levels it up at 5-5. &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/Vhr4b1Ikyb”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/Vhr4b1Ikyb&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;— GeniusFootball (@GeniusFootball) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/GeniusFootball/status/939070616753377281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;December 8, 2017&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

It’s been quite a year for the 32-year-old Ronaldo. As well as helping his club Real Madrid win four trophies — including La Liga and the Champions League — he’s also been busy in his domestic life …

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/Abdallah_rm11/status/939067263218601984″,”author_name”:”⓫Abdallah M.⓫”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/Abdallah_rm11″,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Cristiano Ronaldo who is finished just made a historical comeback&#lt;br&#gt;&#lt;br&#gt;Champions League trophies&#lt;br&#gt;Messi 3-1 Ronaldo to 4-4&#lt;br&#gt;&#lt;br&#gt;Ballon d'Or&#lt;br&#gt;Messi 4-1 Ronaldo to 5-5&#lt;br&#gt;&#lt;br&#gt;Champions League 2017 goal scorer&#lt;br&#gt;Messi 11-2 Ronaldo to 11-12&#lt;br&#gt;&#lt;br&#gt;Even with kids&#lt;br&#gt;Messi 2-1 Ronaldo to 2-3&#lt;br&#gt;&#lt;br&#gt;Enough said.&#lt;/p&#gt;— ⓫Abdallah M.⓫ (@Abdallah_rm11) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/Abdallah_rm11/status/939067263218601984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;December 8, 2017&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

While we’re talking about trophies, was Ronaldo more deserving than Messi of winning the Ballon d’Or statistically?

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/brfootball/status/938760372777029633″,”author_name”:”B/R Football”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/brfootball”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Who deserves the Ballon d'Or? � &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/XGeOi24N8d”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/XGeOi24N8d&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;— B/R Football (@brfootball) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/brfootball/status/938760372777029633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;December 7, 2017&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

But try telling Messi fans that …

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/FootballFunnys/status/938991785459646464″,”author_name”:”Football Funnys”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/FootballFunnys”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Year 2017 stats individually:&#lt;br&#gt;&#lt;br&#gt;Most goals: Messi&#lt;br&#gt;Most assists: Messi&#lt;br&#gt;Most chances created: Messi&#lt;br&#gt;Most successful dribbles: Messi&#lt;br&#gt;Most through balls: Messi&#lt;br&#gt;Most Key Passes: Messi&#lt;br&#gt;Most man of the match awards: Messi&#lt;br&#gt;&#lt;br&#gt;Ballon d'or? Cristiano Ronaldo &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/0jPA2oI8Pm”&#gt;pic.twitter.com/0jPA2oI8Pm&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;— Football Funnys (@FootballFunnys) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/FootballFunnys/status/938991785459646464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;December 8, 2017&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

However, given the month of December is traditionally a time of peace and goodwill, neutrals concentrated on celebrating two of the GOATs for their individuality.

{“url”:”https://twitter.com/LaLigaEN/status/938850418402254848″,”author_name”:”LaLiga”,”author_url”:”https://twitter.com/LaLigaEN”,”html”:”&#lt;blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”&#gt;&#lt;p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”&#gt;Two legends …10 &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BallondOr?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;#BallondOr&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;br&#gt; &#lt;br&#gt;Cristiano: ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️&#lt;br&#gt;Messi: ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️&#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/LaLiga?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;#LaLiga&#lt;/a&#gt; &#lt;a href=”https://t.co/Xai9clHeZ1″&#gt;pic.twitter.com/Xai9clHeZ1&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/p&#gt;— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) &#lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/LaLigaEN/status/938850418402254848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”&#gt;December 7, 2017&#lt;/a&#gt;&#lt;/blockquote&#gt;n&#lt;script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″&#gt;&#lt;/script&#gt;n”,”width”:550,”height”:null,”type”:”rich”,”cache_age”:”3153600000″,”provider_name”:”Twitter”,”provider_url”:”https://twitter.com”,”version”:”1.0″}

And just how lucky we are to have been able to watch them both at their peak.

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