Lionel Messi who won the Ballon d’Or yet again, now has seven Ballon awards to Christiano Ronaldo’s five. Ronaldo stayed away from the award ceremony this year.
Pascal Ferre, the editor-in-chief of France Football, the publication that runs the Ballon d’Or, claimed that the Portuguese superstar’s lifelong ambition is to retire with more Ballon d’Ors than Argentine Lionel Messi.
“Ronaldo has only one ambition, and that is to retire with more Ballons d’Or than Messi…. and I know that because he has told me,” Ferre was quoted as saying.
Christiano Ronaldo exploded against this claim, branding the statement as a ‘lie’. He wrote on Instagram, “Pascal Ferré lied, he used my name to promote himself and to promote the publication he works for. It is unacceptable that the person responsible for awarding such a prestigious prize could lie in this way, in absolute disrespect for someone who has always respected France Football and the Ballon d’Or. And he lied again today, justifying my absence from the Gala with an alleged quarantine that has no reason to exist. I always want to congratulate those who win, within the sportsmanship and fair-play that have guided my career since the beginning, and I do it because I’m never against anyone……..
…..The biggest ambition of my career is to be a good example for all those who are or want to be professional footballers. The biggest ambition of my career is to leave my name written in golden letters in the history of world football.”
Ronaldo’s comments emerge in the middle of one of his most turbulent seasons, especially because of his return to the Old Trafford in the summer. He has not been able to find the back of the net in the Premier League for three games. He was also dropped for the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and was seen angrily storming down the tunnel at the full time whistle.
His interim boss Ralf Rangnick looks set to possibly putting a question mark over Ronaldo’s place in the side. Ronaldo has already been dubbed as ‘too old‘ by Rangnick, five years back. Ragnick prefers players who can outrun their opponents for the majority of the game.
