One of the brightest stars in the football world, the captain of the Portugal national team and the “Al Nassr” club, Cristiano Ronaldo, this season expressed his sharp opinions about to whom the “Ballon d'Or” trophy will be awarded. In this statement, which caused great discussions among fans, Ronaldo called this award a “fictitious trophy,” that is, one with no real value, just a prize given for show. The 40-year-old forward, in his words, emphasized that the “Ballon d'Or” does not fully and fairly evaluate the labor of true professional footballers today.
According to data, Ronaldo has won this prestigious award 5 times during his career, a result that only Lionel Messi has surpassed; the Argentinian star now has 8 “Ballon d'Or” awards.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been playing for Saudi Arabia's “Al Nassr” club since January 2023. His current contract with the club is valid until the summer of 2027. According to the Transfermarkt portal, the current market value of the 40-year-old striker is about 12 million euros.
Such sharp and open statements serve as a new reason for discussions and debates in the football community. According to Ronaldo, real achievements and labor should be evaluated not only by statistics, but also by the honest play of the footballer and the team on the field.
How the upcoming season will end and in what direction the debates around the “Ballon d'Or” will go — time will show. For now, the football world is full of even more heated discussions after Ronaldo's frank words.
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