Goli Innocent 
Inter Miami superstar, Lionel Messi is not yet the all-time leading Ballon d’Or winner, according to media reports.
Messi is widely expected to be named the best player in the world for the eighth time in Paris on Monday.
The Argentine icon has been involved in a virtual duopoly when it comes to winning the greatest individual prize in world football with Cristiano Ronaldo for nearly two decades.
Despite his advancing years, Messi is the favourite to take home an eighth Ballon d’Or at the ceremony on October 30.
But the organiser said because the Ballon d’Or did not cover South America until 1995, Pele never officially won the Golden Ball.
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However, in 2016, the award organisers, France Football, conducted an ‘international re-evaluation’.
It was determined that Pele would have won the award seven times (1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964 and 1970) had he been eligible.
That would mean Messi will only become the outright record winner of the Ballon d’Or if he wins an eighth prize.
