Cristiano Ronaldo's anger over Ballon d'Or voting as Man United icon showed his true colours

Cristiano Ronaldo fumed about the Ballon d'Or voting

Cristiano Ronaldo has previously slammed the Ballon d'Or voting system, claiming that both he and Vinicius Junior have been stung by the prestigious award going to the wrong people.

In 2024, Manchester City's Rodri received the honour, beating Vini Jr. The Real Madrid star won the Champions League, La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup in that campaign. In comparison, Rodri claimed the Premier League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. He also pipped the Brazilian internationally as he also secured the European Championship with Spain.

There were many arguments for Vini Jr to win the Ballon d'Or, including from ex-Manchester United icon and Madrid star Ronaldo, who believes he and the winger share the same sentiments when it comes to being unfairly treated in the voting.

Speaking to La Sexta at the time, the five-time winner said: "There is no credibility, Vinicius should be the Ballon d'Or winner. I have felt it many times and I felt angry. Over time I understood it, these are battles that you cannot win."

Ronaldo was likely alluding to Lionel Messi, who holds the record for the most amount of Ballon d'Ors trophies with eight, three more than Ronaldo. The iconic duo have battled for the award for two decades and Messi won an unprecedented four in a row from 2009 to 2012.

The Portuguese attacker beat Messi to his first Ballon d'Or, winning it in 2008 while still playing in Manchester under Sir Alex Ferguson. Then came the Argentinian's four-in-a-row scoop, before Ronaldo won it in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Messi won a further four Ballon d'Ors in 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023 - after his historic World Cup win - cementing him as the most successful star in the voting system's eyes over the last two decades.

Ronaldo has showcased his distaste for the award's voting system in the past, even telling Piers Morgan that he should finish his career with more Ballon d'Ors than Messi. Speaking in 2019, he said: "Messi’s in the history of football.

"But I think I have to have six or seven or eight to be above him.”

Reflecting on his relationship with the Argentine, the now-40-year-old added: "My relationship with him is, we are not friends, but we have shared this stage for 15 years. I know that he has pushed me to be a better player and I have pushed him to be a better player as well."

Ronaldo and Messi are not in contention for this year's Ballon d'Or.

Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal are considered the favourites for the 2025 men's award, and it looks like Messi and Ronaldo's decades of dominance in the award looks to be all but over.

With 13 combined Ballon d'Ors between the duo, it looks like regardless of Ronaldo's own feelings towards the ceremony, he has left a legacy on football that will be discussed for years to come.

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