For a decade and a half the debate around who should be recognised as the best player in the world was largely a discussion involving just two players.
The Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi duopoly over the men’s Ballon d’Or award was broken only twice between 2008 and 2023 – by Luka Modric in 2018 and then by Karim Benzema four years later.
But the era of Ronaldo and Messi dominating the world game is seemingly over. Messi, now 37 and playing for Inter Miami, and Ronaldo, who will turn 40 next week and is currently based in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, both failed to make the top 30 in the Ballon d’Or vote last year.
So if one of those guys are no longer No 1 then who is?
Well, Rodri won the 2024 edition of the Ballon d’Or, with Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham placing second and third.
However, according to Ronaldo’s son Mateo – who recently celebrated his eighth birthday – the top baller on the planet right now is the man who came sixth in last year’s vote.
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or award five times, in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017
But Ronaldo’s son Mateo, pictured (right) alongside siblings Eva Maria (left) and Cristiano Jr (centre) during Paris Fashion Week last year, does not think his dad is the world’s best player
Mateo does not believe that eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is currently No 1 either
Speaking to La Sexta recently, Ronaldo revealed that he and Mateo disagree about the current world order.
Ronaldo explained: ‘Mateo, he really likes [Kylian] Mbappe. He sometimes tells me: “Hey dad, Mbappe is better than you,” and I reply by saying: “No, I am better than him, I have scored more goals.”‘
Indeed, Ronaldo has scored significantly more goals than Mbappe likely ever will.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star currently boasts 920 goals across his career, including 135 for Portugal at international level.
Those 920 strikes have come in 1,259 appearances for club and country.
Meanwhile, 26-year-old Mbappe has so far netted 349 first-team goals across a 487-game career.
Mbappe, who began his career with Monaco, left Paris last year after becoming PSG’s all-time leading scorer with 256 goals in 308 appearances.
Since moving to Spain, he has registered 22 goals in 33 outings for Real Madrid.
Mbappe’s France knocked Ronaldo’s Portugal out of UEFA Euro 2024 at the quarter-final stage
With talk of a new Al-Nassr contract on the table, Ronaldo could plausibly continue adding to his goal tally well into his 40s.
However, his greatest legacy may well be the family he has built.
The Portuguese superstar is a father to five children, including Mateo and twin sister Eva, who were born via surrogate in 2017.
Eldest son Cristiano Jr, who was also born via surrogate, is currently 14 and a member of the Al-Nassr youth team.
Ronaldo shares his youngest two children, Alana Martina, seven, and Bella Esmeralda, two, with long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez.
Rodriguez had been expecting twins during her most recent pregnancy but Bella’s brother Angel tragically died during childbirth in 2022.
