Piers Morgan names Ronaldo greatest Ballon d'Or winner, leaves out Messi
- Piers Morgan posted his top three Ballon d'Or winners on X on Tuesday.
- He picked Cristiano Ronaldo first, Ronaldo Nazario second and Johan Cruyff third.
- Lionel Messi, an eight-time winner, was left off the list entirely.
British broadcaster Piers Morgan has named Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest Ballon d'Or winner of all time, leaving Lionel Messi out of his top three. Morgan, 61, shared the ranking on X on Tuesday, according to reports by Daily Post and The Sun.
His list puts the Portugal captain first, former Brazil striker Ronaldo Nazario second and the late Dutch great Johan Cruyff third. Messi, who has won the award eight times, does not appear anywhere in Morgan's top three.
The post came after France Football, the organisers of the Ballon d'Or, launched a fan poll called the "Ballon d'Or of All Time", or B.O.A.T., covering historic winning seasons. Morgan's ranking is his personal opinion, not an official vote by the award's organisers.
Why Nigerians are talking about it
The Messi-versus-Ronaldo debate is one of football's longest-running arguments, and it is followed closely in Nigeria, where fans of both players fill viewing centres and social media timelines. Morgan's list is likely to restart that argument among supporters who grew up watching the two forwards dominate the game.
Messi's eight wins are the most by any player in the award's history, a fact both reports noted. Morgan's choice of the Brazilian Ronaldo and Cruyff reflects a view that the award's older eras deserve more weight.
The reports did not say whether Morgan gave reasons for each pick.
What happens next
France Football's B.O.A.T. poll is now in the spotlight, and Nigerian fans are set to keep arguing over who is the greatest.
