Ronaldo Manages To Win More Accolades Than Messi At The Best Fifa Awards

Cristiano Ronaldo is the recipient of the Best Fifa Special Award for breaking the men’s all time goal scoring record.

The Portuguese icon holds the world record for international goals, having overtaken Ali Daei’s tally of 109 with a brace against the Republic of Ireland in September.

Ronaldo, the only winner to go to Zurich for the Best Fifa Football awards, is also included in the 2021 FIFPRO World 11 alongside Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, and Lionel Messi in a 3-3-4 formation.

Meanwhile, Lewandowski is named the Best Fifa Men’s Player ahead of Messi and Mo Salah, who was a surprise exclusion from the men’s XI.

The Bayern Munich forward, who bagged 69 goals in 59 games in 2021, is the first player to win the accolade in back-to-back years since Ronaldo in 2016-17.

Barcelona’s Alexia Puttelas, who also won the Ballon d’Or in December, is honoured with the Best Fifa Women’s Player of the Year. Messi couldn’t make it a double and missed out on the top prize.

Both Messi and Ronaldo have somewhat failed to live up to the hype their respective moves generated in the summer of 2021.

The Argentine has only managed one league goal so far, while Ronaldo, despite bettering the goal-scoring figures of his long-time rival this season, has struggled to push Manchester United closer to the Premier League’s summit.

However, considering we are only half way through the campaign, it would be wiser to wait a bit longer before analysing the duo’s impact in Paris and Manchester.