The Super Ballon d'Or: Messi vs. Ronaldo for Football's Rarest Prize

The prestigious France Football magazine has ignited one of football's most enduring debates: who could be the next recipient of the mythical Super Ballon d'Or? This elusive award, granted only once in history, has resurfaced in conversation following a new video posted by the official Ballon d'Or social media account, hinting at its potential revival.

The Super Ballon d'Or stands alone in its exclusivity, having been awarded only once back in 1989. On that historic occasion, Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stéfano was honored as the best player of the previous three decades. This unique accolade broke away from the traditional Ballon d'Or structure, serving as a special tribute to the iconic forward. Di Stéfano famously triumphed over footballing giants Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini in that vote. The primary criterion for contention was having won at least one standard Ballon d'Or, a condition that notably excluded global icons like Pelé and Diego Maradona, who were ineligible due to the voting rules of that era.

The tantalizing prospect of the award's return was teased at the close of the video, which posed the question: "Would you like to see another Super Ballon d'Or one day and who would win it?" France Football further fueled the speculation on X (formerly Twitter) with a brief message: "A Ballon d'Or like no other. In 1989, one player received a trophy no one else has ever achieved: the Super Ballon d'Or. But who was it? And if it were awarded again today... Who would deserve it?"

The video prominently features Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at its outset, showcasing footage from their respective Ballon d'Or ceremonies, before transitioning to Karim Benzema, the last recipient of the traditional award in 2022. On social media, speculation is rife, with many believing that Messi would be a formidable candidate to win it, given his unprecedented dominance with eight Ballon d'Or titles. Cristiano Ronaldo, with his five Ballon d'Or awards, is another name that inevitably comes to mind, setting up what would undoubtedly be the greatest individual rivalry in football history vying for "the biggest award of the century."

This potential reintroduction of the Super Ballon d'Or adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing discussion about which of these two modern-day legends stands as the greatest of all time. Should the award indeed make a comeback, the football world would brace itself for another chapter in the epic rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo.