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Lionel Messi's Awards are Challenged by a Football Icon

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Emmanuel Mendez | Last updated Apr 23, 2025 9:08 PM ET

Football fans all around the world know Lionel Messi's quality. The Argentine is one of the greatest players of all time, and many regard him as the greatest to ever play the sport. Some even go ahead and call him one of the greatest athletes sports has ever seen.

Many opinions are divided when comparing Messi to other great players like Diego Armando Maradona, Pele, and, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi has done it all throughout his football career, and he has been successful for both clubs and his country.

With multiple league titles with FC Barcelona and PSG respectively, Champions League trophies with the Catalan club, and a World Cup with Argentina, Messi has won eight Ballon d'Or awards. While winning the most important individual award in football is impressive to many, it seems it isn't that appealing to a football icon.

Italy and Roma legend Francesco Totti had some words to say on the Viva el Futbol Podcast with another Italy legend, Antonio Cassano. Totti was regarded as a football legend and is honored for being loyal to his club, AS Roma, as it was the only club he played for in his entire professional career. The Italian was one of the best players in the world, but never got the chance to win a Ballon d'Or award during his career.

Totti then mentions Messi and believes that the Argentine would not have won a single Ballon d'Or throughout his career if he had played at Roma for his entire time in Europe.

️ Totti: "Dale a Messi 25 años en la Roma y hubiese ganado 0 balones de oro.

FACTS pic.twitter.com/QxWXgGlDKv
— REAL MADRID FANS (@AdriRM33) April 22, 2025

Football fans online immediately reacted to these words in both a positive and negative way. Some fans agree that playing for a team like Roma, compared to FC Barcelona, would make it more difficult to win a Ballon d'Or, but others disagree because of the quality that Messi has had over the years.

There is no animosity from the Italian star towards Messi, as Totti has shown admiration for the Argentine star in the past. Ironically, Totti and Messi were respected in the same light due to their long trajectory at one club. That is, until Messi left FC Barcelona in 2021 to join PSG; he has now been playing for Inter Miami since 2023.

Was Francesco Totti ever close to winning the Ballon d'Or?

Francesco Totti has never won a Ballon d'Or throughout his career. The closest Totti was to winning the Ballon d'Or award was in 2001 when he placed fifth in the voting. That year, the award went to Michael Owen, who was playing for Liverpool FC. Totti has been asked about not winning the award, and he mentions that he doesn't care about never winning it.

Totti's priority seemed to be his loyalty to AS Roma. Totti made his professional debut for Roma at 16 years old in 1993. On May 28, 2017, Totti made his final appearance for Roma and confirmed his retirement from professional football that year.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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