As of November 3, 2026, leads with 83% of head-to-head picks across 12 votes.
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Early results after 12 picks. They settle as more people vote.
- 14 picks83%
- 22 picks75%
- 32 picks75%
- 42 picks50%
- 52 picks50%
- 62 picks50%
- 72 picks50%
- 82 picks25%
- 92 picks25%
- 104 picks17%
The case for each
Lionel Messi
Eight Ballon d'Or awards, more than anyone in history, and the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, where he was named player of the tournament. He is also Barcelona's all-time top scorer.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Five Ballon d'Or awards and five Champions League titles with Manchester United and Real Madrid. He is the all-time top scorer in men's international football and won Euro 2016 with Portugal.
Pelé
The only player to win three World Cups, in 1958, 1962 and 1970, the first at 17. He spent most of his career at Santos and scored well over a thousand goals by his own count.
Diego Maradona
He led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup, scoring both the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century in the same quarter-final against England. He then carried Napoli to their first two Serie A titles.
Zinedine Zidane
Two headed goals in the 1998 World Cup final, Euro 2000 and a famous volley that won Real Madrid the 2002 Champions League final. As a coach he then won three Champions Leagues in a row.
Ronaldinho
The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner and a 2002 World Cup champion who won the 2006 Champions League with Barcelona. Real Madrid's own fans gave him a standing ovation at the Bernabéu in 2005.
Kylian Mbappé
A World Cup winner at 19 in 2018, he scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final four years later. He joined Real Madrid in 2024.
Ronaldo Nazário
The original Ronaldo won two Ballon d'Or awards and the 2002 World Cup, where his eight goals took the Golden Boot. At his peak he was the fastest, most explosive striker of his era.
Erling Haaland
His 36 Premier League goals in 2022–23 are the most in a single season of the competition, and that year he won the treble with Manchester City.
Johan Cruyff
Three Ballon d'Or awards and three European Cups in a row with Ajax, the face of the Netherlands' Total Football. As Barcelona's coach he built the style the club still plays.