Top 5 players who shared the Ballon d'Or podium with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

#2 Xavi Hernandez

FC Barcelona v Club Leon - Joan Gamper Trophy — Xavi

He is arguably the best midfielder of the past decade (2006-2016). Xavi Hernandez is the only player to have shared the Ballon d'Or podium with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for three consecutive years namely 2009, 2010 and 2011. His performances in those seasons were extraordinary and his feats are well-deserved.

The World Cup winner is one of those that pioneered the Barcelona golden era. He won 4 UEFA Champions League trophies, 8 La Liga titles, 2 UEFA Super Cups and many other trophies in a glorious career.

His achievements are numerous, making him one of the most successful players in the World.

About the author

Jidonu is a European and international football news writer at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has around 7 years of previous experience working with the likes of Tribuna and SportRaba, Jidonu has a good eye for detail and has the ability to created cohesive articles, and reporting exploits have also led him to exclusively cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the past.

Jidonu’s tryst with football started after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, being mesmerized by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Barcelona philosophy and approach towards the game under Pep Guardiola further fueled the burgeoning love for the sport, and he has been a Culer ever since.

Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is his favorite player and is the one true GOAT for him over Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's brace led to La Albiceleste lifting the cup left a lasting impact on him. His love for Messi also sees him follow Major League Soccer apart from Europe’s top five leagues.

In his free time, Jidonu raps and produces music, and also enjoys reading and swimming.

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Edited by Amit Mishra