Portugal international and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo said the award should be given to an individual who won the Champions League (UCL). The Al Nassr forward in the Saudi Pro League made the remarks on Saturday during a media conference ahead of Sunday’s Nations League final in Munich, which will see Portugal face Spain.
Ronaldo added that he no longer believes in individual awards, explaining that he is aware of what goes on behind the scenes and how these things operate.
The 40-year-old said, “I believe that individual awards have lost a bit of their merit-based value. There’s no clear criteria that defines who truly deserves to win. In my opinion, whoever wins it should be on a team that has won trophies. The Ballon d’Or winner should be in a team that has won the Champions League.”
The award was first presented in 1956 to Stanley Matthews of Blackpool by the French magazine France Football. It is given to the player deemed the best over the previous season. Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in last Saturday’s Champions League final sparked increased calls for Ousmane Dembele to claim this season’s accolade.
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However, Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal’s outstanding performance in Thursday’s 5-4 Nations League semi-final victory over France led some to argue that the teenager should receive the Ballon d’Or, which would make the 17-year-old the youngest ever recipient.
France coach Didier Deschamps expressed his support for Dembele, alongside France captain Kylian Mbappe. Speaking at a press conference in Stuttgart on Saturday, Mbappe stated, “Does anyone really need me to explain? Right now, the discussion centres on Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele, but I’m voting for Dembele.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s five wins are surpassed only by Argentinian Lionel Messi, who has claimed the award eight times. The pair dominated the accolade for a decade, from Ronaldo’s first triumph in 2008 until his last in 2017. The current holder is Rodri, the midfielder for Spain and Manchester City.
