Former Real Madrid star picks Messi ahead of Ronaldo for 2021 Ballon d'Or award

Former Real Madrid star picks Messi ahead of Ronaldo for 2021 Ballon d'Or award

Akan Anwankwo
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:47 PM
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  • Lionel Messi will win Ballon d'Or for the seventh time after Copa America triumph with Argentina, Fabio Cannavaro states
  • The Argentine international ;ed his country to a Copa victory for the first time since 1993 when they last won it
  • Cannavaro who won the 2006 Ballon d'Or and the World Cup the same year in Germany is currently the coach of the Chinese national team

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Fabio Cannavaro has tipped Lionel Messi to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or ahead of his fiercest rival Cristiano Ronaldo, 90 min, Tutto Sport.

The Argentine won his first trophy for his native country in style at the just concluded Copa America tournament.

And Cannavaro believes Messi's brilliant individual performance for the Albicleste will land him his seventh Ballon d'Or award in the coming months.

Former Real Madrid star picks Messi ahead of Ronaldo for 2021 Ballon d'Or award
Lionel Messi is number one for Ballon d'Or according to Fabio Cannavaro. Photo by David S. Bustamante
Source: Getty Images

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On the other hand, Ronaldo is also a contender for the coveted accolade after finishing as Golden Boot winner at the Euro 2020 with five goals.

However, 2006 Ballon d'Or winner is 100 per cent sure of Messi winning the individual award with the role in he played for Argentina.

“He is the absolute No.1 and he was the protagonist of a great Copa America.”

Cananvaro's career as player and manager

Cannavro three yers at Real Madrid immediately he helped win the 2006 World Cup, playing 94 games without scoring a goal.

After retiring in 2010 with 136 caps under his belt, the 47-year-old ventured into management and top Chinese Super League sides including Guangzhou, Tianjin Quanijan as well as the China national team.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's G.O.A.T. debate has been judged from the angle of winning trophies for their respective nations, Give Me Sport.

Ronaldo helped Portugal lift their first-ever European Championships in 2016 while Messi was on the winning side of Argentina's Copa America triumph.

CR7 and Messi in the past have been criticized by footballing greats not to have achieved anything for the respective countries but that question has been answered within the last six years.

The pair have won 11 Ballon d'Or awards in the last 12 years between them and they are still going on strong to add another accolade to their trophy shelves.

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Akan Anwankwo
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