Cristiano Ronaldo slams Ballon d’Or with 5-word statement after being left off nominees list
Cristiano Ronaldo has been excluded from the nominee list for the 2025 Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive year, a decision that did not sit well with the Portuguese legend. After failing to make the cut, the Al Nassr star delivered a short but sharp five-word statement slamming the award.
The 2025 Ballon d’Or nominees list was released Thursday, featuring world-class stars like Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Erling Haaland, and 26 other players completing the 30-man roster. As with the 2024 edition, neither Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi made the list, a surprising outcome for many fans given their status in world soccer.
In fact, Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres was the only player nominated from outside the top five European leagues, with the majority of nominees coming from clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. Still, the award, presented by France Football magazine, did not escape criticism from the Portuguese star.
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone at Estádio Algarve in Portugal following a 4-0 win over Rio Ave, Ronaldo was asked about the Ballon d’Or. The legendary forward didn’t hold back. “That, for me, is fictional,” he said while heading to the locker room, clearly expressing his disbelief in the award’s legitimacy.
Not Ronaldo’s first jab at the Ballon d’Or
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or five times, making him the second-most decorated player in the award’s history, behind only Messi’s eight titles. However, in recent years, after missing out on the nominations, he has been vocal in questioning the award’s fairness.
Last December, at the Globe Soccer Awards ceremony, he made it clear he believed Vinicius Junior deserved the 2024 honor over Rodri. “It was unfair, I don’t mind saying it, those galas always do the same thing. That’s why I love the Globe Soccer Awards — they have more credibility than the Ballon d’Or, they’re honest awards,” Ronaldo stated back in December 2024.
Then came a second jab ahead of the UEFA Nations League final between Portugal and Spain. In early June, when asked who should win the Ballon d’Or between main contenders Yamal and Dembele, Ronaldo gave a pointed answer.
“It should be won by the one who stands out and wins the Champions League, that’s my opinion. I no longer believe in individual awards, because I know what goes on behind the scenes,” he said at the pre-match press conference, once again fueling debate about the award’s integrity.