Once upon a time, the Ballon d’Or list was all about Cristiano Ronaldo’s name. But times have changed. For the second year in a row, the footballer, who is in the twilight of his career, failed to make it to the shortlist of 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or. And this seems to have left CR7 somewhat disappointed with the organizers of the Ballon d’Or award. At least, that’s what the Portuguese legend has to say.
Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or for the second most times in football history, five times. Like this legend, his once-rival and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi also did not make the list of nominees for the second time. Nothing has been heard from Messi about this yet. However, Ronaldo has raised questions about the magazine ‘France Football’, the organizer of the Ballon d’Or.
Yesterday, Ronaldo’s team Al Nasr defeated Rio Ave 4-0 in a friendly match in Portugal. Where CR Seven scored a hat-trick for the Saudi club. After this match, ‘Sport TV Portugal’ asked Ronaldo who could win the Ballon d’Or this time? Ronaldo said in one word, ‘It seems fabricated to me.’ That is, he explained the fact that he has lost faith in the Ballon d’Or.
This is not the first time Ronaldo has criticised the Ballon d’Or organisers. The 40-year-old forward expressed his surprise last year after Manchester City’s Spanish star Rodri won the award. Ronaldo, a former Real Madrid forward, was furious when Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, despite being favourites, failed to win the award.
At the time, Ronaldo said, “There is no credibility. Vinicius should have won the award. I have felt that many times and I am angry.” Meanwhile, for the second time in 22 years, Messi and Ronaldo are not on the list of nominees for the Ballon d’Or. The Al Nasr star was first nominated for the award for the best player of the year in 2004. Messi was first nominated in 2006.
Despite not being nominated this time, Ronaldo had a good 2024-25 season. He scored 35 goals for club and country, as well as 8 goals. He won the Nations League. The Ballon d’Or award will be presented in Paris on September 22.
FAQ
Why did Cristiano Ronaldo question the credibility of the Ballon d’Or?
Ronaldo expressed doubts about the Ballon d’Or’s fairness after he was left off the nominee list for the second consecutive year, despite having a strong season.
Has Ronaldo criticized the Ballon d’Or before?
Yes, Ronaldo has criticized the award organizers in the past, especially when he felt deserving players like Vinicius Junior were overlooked.
Did Lionel Messi also miss the Ballon d’Or nominee list this year?
Yes, for the second time in 22 years, both Messi and Ronaldo were not included in the Ballon d’Or nominee list.
What was Ronaldo’s reaction after scoring a hat-trick for Al Nasr?
When asked who might win the Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo replied that the award “seems fake” to him, showing his frustration with the process.
When will the next Ballon d’Or ceremony take place?
The Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for September 22 in Paris.
