Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

Former Real Madrid and Argentina star, Angel Di Maria, has declared that the era of the long-standing rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is over.

He made the remark while assessing the chances of the football icons winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or after the FIFA World Cup.

Both superstars are preparing for their sixth appearance at the World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Argentina and Portugal are regarded as among the favourites expected to challenge for the trophy.

However, only one of the two nations is expected to progress beyond the quarter-finals, as the tournament draw could see them face each other in the last eight if both sides win their matches leading up to that stage.

Although Messi and Ronaldo are currently not considered leading contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, the prestigious individual award could still be influenced by performances at the World Cup.

The two football icons have jointly won the Ballon d’Or 13 times, with Messi holding the record for the highest number of wins with eight titles. Messi last claimed the award in 2023 after guiding Argentina to World Cup glory.

Di Maria, who played a key role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph and also shared the dressing room with Ronaldo at Real Madrid, believes a similar scenario could still unfold in 2026.

The Argentine did not dismiss the possibility of either of his former teammates winning the Ballon d’Or if they secure the World Cup title or deliver outstanding performances during the tournament.

The former Real Madrid winger stated that the rivalry once associated with Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo no longer exists, but maintained that either player could still have a strong advantage in the race for the award if they shine on the world stage.

In an interview with the official website of Ballon d’Or, Di Maria claimed, “Well… it’s normal… At the end of the day, there isn’t a Messi or a Cristiano anymore; that’s over.

“For me, there won’t be a rivalry as great as that one. That’s why I think that if either of them wins the World Cup or plays a starring role, they’ve got a good chance…”

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will be staged outside France for the first time in history, with London set to host the event on October 26.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.