Lionel Messi is 'the father' of 'monster' Cristiano Ronaldo! Pep Guardiola adds to GOAT debate in aftermath of Ballon d'Or controversy

Manchester City's Rodri edged out Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr to the Ballon d'Or at a ceremony in Paris on Monday. However, the spectacle wasn't without drama as Los Blancos, bitter over the result, declined to attend. Meanwhile, City’s party extended well into the night, with club officials and players such as Ferran Soriano, Txiki Begiristain, Rodri, Ruben Dias, and Savinho enjoying the victory before returning to Manchester early on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, City manager Pep Guardiola addressed Rodri's Ballon d'Or win, taking the opportunity to discuss the under-appreciated impact of Spanish players on international football.

"I think Spanish football in the last decade made an incredible thing, with different national trainers, with incredible players in the past, with winning the World Cup, the Euros Cup, and never, never were able to win this award," Guardiola said.

"And I think Rodri represents perfectly, of course City because we are so proud, but Spanish football – their influence in world football in the last 10, 15 years, it has been massively important. Not just winning trophies, the way they play, the generations of managers, generations of players. And I think maybe in that time I remember three players from the Barcelona Academy, La Masia, were nominated all three to win the Ballon d’Or, and Xavi and Iniesta could not win because there was a monster there."

Xavi and Iniesta's midfield mastery set new standards in football, yet individual awards eluded them due to the simultaneous dominance of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who won the Ballon d'Or 10 times collectively between 2008 and 2017.

Reflecting on their misfortune, Guardiola commented, "And Messi, nobody could beat him. Just Cristiano. Cristiano was a monster, and the father of the monster is Messi. And both have done something incredible in the last 15 or 20 years. And maybe in that moment, Xavi and Iniesta deserved the Ballon d’Or as well. So I think Rodri, yesterday, got what Spanish football deserved worldwide."

Messi and Ronaldo, both regarded as two of the most prolific scorers in football history, continue to dazzle fans across the globe. Together, they have amassed over 1,700 goals in club and international play, with Ronaldo scoring 907 and Messi close behind at 849. Ronaldo first took home the Ballon d'Or in 2008, before Messi captured four consecutive awards. Ronaldo later reclaimed the title in 2013 and 2014 before Messi’s fifth win in 2015. As the years passed, the two continued to dominate, with Messi securing three more Ballon d'Or wins in 2019, 2021, and 2023.

Guardiola's City will be back in action on Wednesday evening against Tottenham in an EFL Cup round of 16 fixture.