Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo to Compete for 2 Awards After Ballon d’Or Change

The dominion of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Ballon d’Or sweepstakes could be drawing to a close after it was announced the prize-giving for Player of the Year will revert back to two awards. 

The Independent’s Jack Austin reported on Tuesday that France Football’s relationship with FIFA will cease this year, meaning players will once again compete for two gongs—the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year.

France Football partnered with FIFA in 2010 as part of a £13 million deal, and since then, Ronaldo (two wins) and Messi (four) have been the only players to add the Ballon d’Or to their trophy cabinets.

The move has been speculated by some as one to loosen Ronaldo and Messi’s grip on world football’s top individual accolade, and Goal.com’s Robin Bairner pointed out whom French daily L’Equipe are pushing to win:

No prizes for guessing as to who L’Equipe think should win the Ballon d’Or… #Griezmann pic.twitter.com/44Y76TZ2y6

— Robin Bairner (@RBairner) September 20, 2016

France and Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann helped his country reach the final of UEFA Euro 2016, while also helping Los Rojiblancos to the UEFA Champions League final and LaLiga title contention last term.

Meanwhile, Tancredi Palmeri of beIN Sports said Ronaldo should take home his third Ballon …

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