Al Nassr forward and Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo has finally broken his silence on Lionel Messi’s 8th Ballon d’Or success.

Al Nassr forward and Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo has finally broken his silence on Lionel Messi’s 8th Ballon d’Or success.

Lionel Messi soared above Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe on the Ballon d’Or rankings to clinch the coveted football award for the eighth time.

 

Messi’s 8th Ballon d’Or trophy made Argentina the country with most Ballon d’Or wins overtaking European countries like Germany, France, and Portugal with 7 Ballon d’Or winners.

 

Most striking in Lionel Messi’s 8th Ballon d’Or success was the fact that the Inter Miami sensation is the first footballer that has won the award off the shores of Europe.

Messi is currently plying his trade with MLS side Inter Miami. He has been sensational since joining the Florida-based club but the 2022 World Cup triumph has been his gold card and tie-breaking feat in the race for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award.

 

Messi powered Argentina pass France in 2022 World Cup final to win his first and Argentina’s third FIFA World Cup.

 

At PSG, he won French Ligue 1 title and French Super Cup and also recorded over 40 goal contributions for PSG to better his chances of winning the award.

 

Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, who came second and third on the Ballon d’Or rankings, respectively, had equally brilliant individual campaigns for club and country.

Kylian Mbappe also had a great campaign with PSG and France national team, including reaching the final of the 2022 World Cup where they were edged out by Messi-inspired Argentina.

 

As usual, pundits were divided on who should be crowned the winner of the award. Some pundits gave it to Lionel Messi after his 2022 World Cup heroics while others gave it to Haaland.

 

 

Amidst the debates on whether Messi actually deserved the award, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been Messi’s long-time rival and five times Ballon d’Or winner, seems to pit tent with the anti-Messi camp begrudging the Argentine of the prestigious award.

 

Hours after the award, Cristiano Ronaldo has commented on a satirical social media post mocking Lionel Messi’s winning 2023 Ballon d’Or award by dropping four laughing emojis in approval of the post and critic of the award as well.

 

Haaland was a close contender for the award and was tipped by most pundits to clinch the award after he won a treble with Manchester City and hauling a record 52-goal tally – the most goal by any Premier League player in a single season.

Cristiano Ronaldo was not nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or awards and he did not attend the ceremony in Paris. It was the first time he missed out on Ballon d’Or nominees’ list since 2003. His failure to make the list has been linked to his infamous transfer move to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia last summer.