The World Cup has a curse that has lasted for 70 years, haunting both Messi and Ronaldo.
Throughout World Cup history, a strange curse has persisted for 70 years, one that even the greatest legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been unable to break.
Since the Golden Ball award was established in 1956, no reigning champion has ever reached the pinnacle of world football in the following World Cup. Dozens of superstars have tried, all failing.
Johan Cruyff won the Golden Ball in 1973 but succumbed to West Germany in the 1974 World Cup final. Ronaldo, “The Phenomenon,” entered the 1998 World Cup as the world’s best player but experienced a nightmare night as Brazil lost 0-3 to France in the final.
Cristiano Ronaldo also couldn’t escape this decades-long jinx. Despite participating in the World Cup twice as the reigning Golden Ball winner, CR7 has never lifted the prestigious golden trophy.
Even Lionel Messi has been a victim. When he won the 2009 Ballon d’Or, the Argentine superstar was expected to lead the Albiceleste to victory in South Africa in 2010. But Argentina were eliminated early in the quarter-finals after a heavy defeat against Germany.
Both Messi and Ronaldo are plagued by the “Golden Ballon d’Or curse” at the World Cup (Photo: Reuters, Getty)
Ironically, when Messi finally conquered the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, he wasn’t the reigning Golden Ball winner. The title that year went to Karim Benzema, who even missed the tournament due to injury.
Over the past 70 years, 17 reigning Golden Ball winners have entered the World Cup hoping to break the curse. None have succeeded. Now, that challenge rests with Ousmane Dembele.
The French star enters the 2026 World Cup as the 2025 Golden Ball winner after a breakout season with PSG. If he helps France win in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, Dembele will become the first player in history to break the curse that has existed since 1956.
But before thinking about rewriting world football history, Dembele needs to address the immediate problem. His lackluster performance against Senegal is calling questions about his position, and the 29-year-old star risks losing his starting spot to Bradley Barcola in the next match.
The 70-year curse remains. And Dembele is the next one to be given the chance to break it.
