Cristiano Ronaldo is ironic when talking about the Ballon d’Or winner: “Fictional”
Al-Nassr star questions credibility of France Football’s award and focuses on goal milestone
Cristiano Ronaldo has once again expressed skepticism toward the Ballon d’Or, calling the prestigious award “fictional.” The Al-Nassr forward, who was not among the nominees for this year’s France Football accolade, made the remark when asked about the upcoming winner.
When a reporter mentioned the presence of three Portuguese players on the shortlist Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and João Neves Ronaldo responded bluntly:
“Who will win the Ballon d’Or? That’s fiction to me.”
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has previously criticized individual player awards. In 2024, he said:
“These awards have lost credibility, in my opinion.”
Over his career, Ronaldo has collected five Ballon d’Or trophies, second only to Lionel Messi’s record of eight.
Ronaldo Chasing 1,000 Career Goals
The Portuguese legend currently sits on 938 official goals across his spells with Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr, and Portugal’s national team. This leaves him just 62 goals away from the historic 1,000-goal mark.
Last Thursday (7), Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in Al-Nassr’s 4-0 friendly win over Rio Ave. However, the goals will not be added to his official tally.
Season Opener and Transfer News
Al-Nassr’s competitive season begins on August 19, when Jorge Jesus’ side faces Karim Benzema’s Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup semifinal. The club is also exploring new signings to strengthen the squad, with a Bayern Munich star reportedly on their radar as they aim for domestic dominance.
