The 2025 Ballon d’Or is proving to be a controversial topic, as France Football magazine announced all the nominees for this ceremony on August 7. With Ousmane Dembele, Lamine Yamal, and Vitinha being the favorites for many fans, Cristiano Ronaldo was asked who he thought would win the award. Without hesitation, the Portuguese star strongly criticized the organization.
In a recent interview with Sport TV Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a startling response when asked about his prediction for the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner. The Portuguese icon answered, “It’s fictional,” leaving fans taken aback, particularly with three Portuguese players—Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, and Joao Neves—nominated for the esteemed accolade.
Cristiano’s comment mirrors the dissatisfaction he openly shared on El Chiringuito: “There is no credibility. Vinícius should be the Ballon d’Or winner (in 2024). I have felt this many times and felt angry. Over time, I understood that these are battles you cannot win.” His critique of the award’s credibility adds to ongoing debates about the confusing criteria used by France Football to pick the winner of the award.
After moving to Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo expressed open criticism regarding the selection criteria for individual awards. He emphasized that players who triumph and perform exceptionally in the UEFA Champions League deserve these prestigious honors. Despite this stance, Ronaldo reiterated his belief that individual awards hold little significance in the broader context of the sport.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid CF offers his fifth Golden Ball (Ballon d’Or) trophy to the audience prior to start the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Sevilla FC.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s deep desire to dominate Ballon d’Or awards resurfaces after his criticism
Although Cristiano Ronaldo has often downplayed the significance of individual awards, such as Ballon d’Or, throughout his sporting career, he has remained highly motivated to win many of them. In an interview with ITV journalist Piers Morgan, the Portuguese star was asked about the record he most desires to hold. Cristiano did not hesitate to respond.
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“Ballon d’Or awards, for example. The player with the most Ballon d’Or awards in the history of soccer, for example. I would love it, and I think I deserve it. Messi is a fantastic guy, he’s a fantastic player, he’s part of soccer history. But I think I should have six, seven, or eight. More (Ballon d’Or awards) than him, I think.” he said, via ITV in 2019.
Fans have criticized Cristiano Ronaldo for inconsistency, pointing to his earlier statements where he expressed a desire to dominate the award scene as the player with the most wins—an accolade currently held by Lionel Messi with 8 awards.
Cristiano Ronaldo names an individual award he considers fairer than the Ballon d’Or
The Portuguese star has highlighted an individual award he believes offers a more equitable assessment than the Ballon d’Or. “It was unfair (Vinicius not winning the 2024 Ballon d’Or), I don’t mind saying it, those galas always do the same thing. That’s why I love the Globe Soccer Awards — they have more credibility than the Ballon d’Or, they’re honest awards,” he said at Globe Soccer Awards ceremony.
