Ronaldo slams Ballon d’Or result after Vinicius snub

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo said on Friday it was “unfair” that Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior missed out on this year’s award.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri took the prestigious prize in October with favourite Vinicius in second place

Rodri helped City to a fourth straight Premier League title and Spain to Euro 2024 while attacker Vinicius guided Madrid to a record-extending 15th Champions League.

This year’s ceremony in Paris was clouded by controversy after Vinicius’ Madrid boycotted the event.

“In my opinion he deserved to win the golden ball. It was unfair, I say it here in front of everybody,” former Madrid attacker Ronaldo said at the ceremony of the Global Soccer Awards.

“They gave it to Rodri, he deserved it too but I think they should have given it to Vinicius because he won a Champions League,” the Portugal captain added.

Only Argentina superstar Lionel Messi with his six successes has won the Ballon d’Or more than Ronaldo.

The winner of the Ballon d’Or is chosen from the shortlist by an international jury of 100 specialist journalists.

Meanwhile Ronaldo made an honest assessment of Manchester United’s recent struggles in the Premier League this season. Manchester United sacked Erik Ten Hag midseason, but things didn’t improve for them with Portugal’s Rubem Amorim taking over the charge of the club.

They are still placed at the 14th spot on the points table with just 22 points in 18 matches. They have lost four of their last five matches under Amorim.

Ronaldo attended the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai recently and discussed Manchester United’s recent struggle in the Premier League.

“The Premier League it’s the most difficult league in the world,” Ronaldo said at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Friday.

“All the teams are good, all the teams fight, all the teams run, all the players are strong. Football is different right now. There’s no easy games anymore,” he added.

Ronaldo stated the problem is not the coaches and elaborated it by referring to Manchester United as an aquarium.

“I said this one and a half years ago, and I will continue to say it: The problem is not the coaches. It’s like an aquarium.

“If you have the fish inside and he’s sick and you take it out and you fix the problem and you put him again in an aquarium they will be sick again.

“The problem of Manchester United is the same. The problem is not always the coach. It’s much more than that.”

He said that if he becomes the club’s owner, he will clarify some things.

“If I will be the owner of the club, I will make things clear and adjust what I think is bad there,” he added.

Ronaldo’s second stint with Manchester United ended bitterly.

He and the club mutually terminated the contract after his explosive interview with Piers Morgan, in which he criticised the manager and owners of the club.

Agencies