Ballon d’Or chief Vincent Garcia has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo no longer participates in the voting process for the award, suggesting that Ronaldo is among those who are “very upset” with how the winners are determined.
Despite being the second highest recipient of the accolade, winning it five times, only behind Lionel Messi with eight, the Portuguese superstar appears to have reservations about the award’s credibility.
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After Messi’s latest win in 2023, Ronaldo liked an Instagram post that claimed the Argentine star had won three Ballon d’Or awards too many.
This year, neither Messi nor Ronaldo made the 30-man shortlist for the first time in 21 years.
What Ballon d’Or chief said on Ronaldo’s snub
Garcia told The Times, in quotes by Goal,
“Winners have the right to come back to all future ceremonies but they don’t all come, some are very upset with us.
”I don’t know for certain Cristiano is, I don’t talk to him directly, but I know for example that former winners vote for the Kopa Trophy – for the best young player – and Cristiano didn’t vote last year and he didn’t vote this year either.”
Meanwhile, the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place on the 28th of October, with Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior named favourite to clinch the award.
