Cristiano Ronaldo has sparked another big controversy after claiming awards such as the Ballon d’Or of The Best have no credibility. It’s important to remember that, in both ceremonies, Lionel Messi was the winner.
CR7 had a sensational year playing for Al Nassr. He was the world’s top scorer in 2023 with 54 goals in Saudi Arabia surpassing the numbers of other stars such as Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe or Harry Kane.
That’s why, during an exclusive interview with Record of Portugal, the star took a big shot at those prizes. According to the legend, his stats are enough to consider the best player on the planet.
“I think, in a way, the Ballon d’Or and The Best are losing credibility. 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, these are numbers. Numbers don’t lie. They can’t take away this trophy (top scorer of the year) from me because it’s a reality. So, it makes me even happier.”
Cristiano Ronaldo defends the Saudi Pro League
In recent weeks, Cristiano Ronaldo faced heavy criticism for stating that the Saudi Pro League is a better competition than Ligue 1. During this new interview, CR7 reiterated that in Saudi Arabia, there is an equivalent level of difficulty as in Europe.
“It’s difficult to score goals, whether in Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain or Portugal. A goal is a goal. In a way, I feel even prouder to have outscored Haaland, Mbappe, and Kane.”
Furthermore, Cristiano was asked if he is bothered by the notion that the Saudi Pro League is not a visible competition, considering that Lionel Messi won those awards in a league like the MLS, which is also not among the best in the world. “I’m used to it and I know how these organizations work. To be honest, I didn’t watch The Best awards ceremony.“