Featured Image Credit: Getty & FIFA
Topics: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo
Josh Lawless
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's votes in individual awards since 2010 make for very interesting reading.
Messi is expected to move further ahead of Ronaldo when it comes to Ballon d'Or wins by picking up the award for the eighth time in Paris at a ceremony on Monday.
100 journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries have their say, with no players involved in the voting.
It was the case previously when the France Football prize was merged with FIFA and now the governing body's 'The Best' award is heavily influenced by the opinions of fellow professionals.
Messi and Ronaldo have dominated both prizes but while there's a mutual respect there, the latter had a tendency to snub his long-time rival in voting.
Advert
There was a long-standing trend where Ronaldo did not vote for Messi at all.
It finally came to an end in 2020 when Ronaldo put the Argentine second in his top three for 'The Best', which was won by Robert Lewandowski.
Controversially, there was no Ballon d'Or that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advert
Messi had Ronaldo in his top three in 2018 and 2019 but neither of the pair have picked the other in first place.
Instead, as the voting shows, they have a history of voting for their mates.
Lionel Messi awards voting
Advert
Ballon d'Or:
2010: Didn't vote
2011: Xavi, Iniesta, Aguero
2012: Iniesta, Xavi, Aguero
Advert
2013: Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar
2014: Di Maria, Iniesta, Mascherano
2015: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
FIFA 'The Best':
Advert
2016: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
2017: Suarez, Iniesta, Neymar
2018: Modric, Mbappe, Ronaldo
2019: Mane, Ronaldo, De Jong
2020: Neymar, Mbappe, Lewandowski
2021: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
2022: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
Cristiano Ronaldo awards voting
Ballon d'Or:
2010: Xavi, Casillas, Sneijder
2011: Did not vote
2012: Did not vote
2013: Falcao, Bale, Ozil
2014: Ramos, Bale, Benzema
2015: Benzema James, Bale
FIFA's 'The Best':
2016: Bale, Modric, Ramos
2017: Modric, Ramos, Marcelo
2018: Varane, Modric, Griezmann
2019: De Ligt, De Jong, Mbappe
2020: Lewandowski, Messi, Mbappe
2021: Lewandowski, Kante, Jorginho
2022: Did not vote