The Portuguese star, Cristiano Ronaldo, made a new headline-worthy statement. Without mincing words, he expressed his thoughts on the Ballon d’Or France Football or the FIFA Best award.
At 38 years old, CR7 continues to be in the spotlight. While many players his age are relaxing into retirement, the Madeira native refuses to consider a final chapter in football for now. At Al Nassr since 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo had an outstanding calendar year, finishing as the top scorer ahead of talents like Mbappé or Haaland. Even if not everyone agreed with this title of the year’s top scorer, FIFA eventually confirmed it. Thanks to this recognition, the former Madridista will receive trophies at the Globe Soccer Awards Ceremony held last Friday in Dubai. In the absence of the Ballon d’Or or The Best trophy, he has finally been honored for his excellent year.
Cristiano speaks out
On a roll lately, Cristiano took advantage of this platform to criticize. Starting with Ligue 1, which he deems inferior to the Saudi Pro League, a statement not well-received in France. The all-time leading professional football scorer also shared his thoughts on individual awards like the Ballon d’Or and The Best. In an interview with the Portuguese media, Record, Cristiano Ronaldo first expressed his lack of interest in these events that honor players.
“I think these awards lose, in a way, their credibility. I simply no longer believe in these awards, and it’s not because I won the Globe Soccer Awards, but it’s a fact. The numbers are there, and numbers don’t lie. They can’t take away this award from me (top scorer in the world in 2023) because it’s real, and that makes me very happy because the numbers prove the reality,” he first stated.
Ballon d’Or, The Best: A dig at Messi?
After this diatribe, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner didn’t miss the opportunity to poke at the organizers of this award. When asked about the recent victories of his great rival Lionel Messi, whether for the Ballon d’Or France Football 2023 or The Best FIFA Trophy 2023, playing the entire season in Major League Soccer (MLS), Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his thoughts freely.
“I’m used to it, and I know how these organizations work. Honestly, I didn’t watch the Best Awards. We need to analyze the whole season. It doesn’t mean Messi doesn’t deserve it, or Haaland, or even Mbappé. Maybe there are people saying that scoring 54 goals is easier because I’m in Saudi Arabia. But footballers know the difficulty of scoring goals everywhere. A goal is a goal,” emphasized the Al Nassr star. “I always give priority to my club and the national team. Individual awards come after a good season with the club and the national team. And honestly, I don’t think much about it.”
The kind gesture towards Haaland
A clear statement that stirred controversy and angered Messi’s fans, who believe he’s simply jealous. During the Globe Soccer Awards ceremony, Cristiano made a notable gesture towards the young Erling Haaland. As the award for the best player of the year was about to be announced, the 38-year-old forward pointed to the young Manchester City player, indicating that he deserved it. For a player like CR7 who always wants to win everything, it’s a powerful gesture indicating that Haaland did better.
After missing out on the Ballon d’Or 2023 and The Best FIFA Trophy in favor of Messi, having a rather average year in 2023, Haaland can finally breathe a sigh of relief. We will see what this new year holds in terms of statistics and player awards.
Leave a Reply to Al Nassr – Inter Miami: How to follow the ultimate showdown between Messi and Cristiano?Cancel reply