Cristiano Ronaldo had some choice words about the most recent Ballon d’Or award.
Every year since 1956, the football world gathers to honor the world’s best player that year. It is widely regarded as the most prestigious individual award in the sport, and is voted on by a panel of journalists hailing from the top 100 footballing countries in the world. The most recent award was given to Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who was controversially picked over Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr.
Last week, the Globe Soccer Awards show was hosted in Dubai, and it featured Cristiano Ronaldo as a participant. The show featured an interview and Q&A for the legendary Portuguese player, and it was during that time he claimed that Vinicius Jr. was more deserving of the award over Rodri, going as far as saying it was “unfair”.
Ronaldo, a 5-time Ballon d’Or winner himself, said “In my opinion [Vinicius] deserved to win the golden ball. It was unfair, I say it here in front of everybody. They gave it to Rodri, he deserved it too but I think they should have given it to Vinicius because he won a Champions League.”
Vinicius Jr. had a stellar season with Real Madrid, where he scored 24 goals in 39 appearances and finished the season helping his team win the La Liga and Champions League titles. He also scored in the Champions League final vs. Borussia Dortmund.
In contrast, Rodri played an instrumental role in Manchester City’s fourth consecutive Premier League title, a new record for any team in the Premier League. He also played a critical role in Spain’s win at the Euro 2024 competition. In September 2024, he suffered an ACL injury against title rivals Arsenal, which ruled him out for the rest of the season. As a result, Manchester City has capitulated and failed to find any momentum this season following the Spaniard’s injury — further highlighting just how important he is to the team.
