Football Fans React as Ronaldo Blasts 2023 Ballon d'Or, FIFA Awards [See Reactions]

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May 8, 2023
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Reactions have continued to trail Cristiano Ronaldo's infamous comment that the Ballon d'Or and FIFA The Best Awards have lost their credibility.

In a candid and clear tone, the Al-Nassr star said the two footballing awards which honor footballers, fans, and managers in various categories, for their achievement in a calendar year, have been bastardized by the organizers.

For the first time since 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo missed out on Ballon d'Or nominations, including the FIFA Awards as well.

Addressing the omission of the five-times Ballon d'Or winner from the nominations, Vincent Garcia, the Chief Editor of France Football - the organizers of the Ballon d'Or award - said the omission of the Manchester United and Real Madrid legend was not even discussed by the committee as his performance in the said year fell below the minimum requirement to be nominated for the award.

Cristiano Ronaldo's absence was not a topic of discussion within the committee,” Garcia said.

Cristiano Ronaldo's eternal rival Lionel Messi was crowned winner of the 2023 Ballon d'Or as well as the FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year Award.

Ronaldo seemed apparently unfazed by the Ballon d'Or and FIFA Awards snub. In his words, ''the awards [Ballon d'Or and FIFA Awards] have lost credibility" as they fail to take stock of players' statistics and performance nowadays.

“I think that, in a way, these awards are losing credibility. We have to analyse the entire season. It’s not to say that Messi didn’t deserve it, or Haaland or even Mbappe, I simply no longer believe in these awards and it’s not because I won at the globe soccer but these are facts, the numbers are there and the numbers don’t deceive. They can’t take this trophy away from me because it’s a reality, So it makes me even happier, because the numbers are facts,” he said.


Most football fans seemed to differ from Ronaldo on his Ballon d'Or and FIFA Awards comment.

A fan wrote, "It wasn't losing credibility when he won."

Another wrote, "Just like his fans, they are having a crying competition at this point."

Another fan said, " Mess will still be the goat." (Source @Football_ Tweet)

While opinions usually differ on who deserves the two awards, the 2023 Ballon d'Or and FIFA Awards for Best Men's Player of the Year was the virulently contested by analysts.

Ronaldo is believed to have dropped down the pecking order following his infamous move to Al-Nassr but some pundits believed Manchester City sensation Erling Haaland deserved the award more than Lionel Messi.