Frenchman Frank Ribéry mocked Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese star stated that, in his opinion, the Ballon d’Or should go to the player who won the UEFA Champions League.
Currently, debate rages on over who should win this year’s Ballon d’Or, following the conclusion of the 2024/25 football season.
Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, who won multiple titles with Paris Saint-Germain including the UEFA Champions League, and Spain’s Lamine Yamal, who had an extraordinary year, are among the frontrunners for the award presented by France Football magazine.
The debate intensified after Yamal and Spain recently knocked out Dembélé’s France in the UEFA Nations League.
On Saturday, during a press conference ahead of Portugal’s Nations League final against Spain this Sunday, Cristiano Ronaldo was asked who he thinks deserves the Ballon d’Or this year.
The Al Nassr striker replied that he didn’t want to name a specific player but emphasized that the award should always go to the Champions League winner.
He said: “For me, whoever wins the Ballon d’Or should be the one who won the Champions League. I think this award has lost its value.”
Ronaldo made these comments despite having won the 2013 Ballon d’Or when his club Real Madrid did not win the UEFA Champions League. That year, Bayern Munich were the Champions League winners, and many believed Franck Ribéry deserved the Ballon d’Or instead.
Ribéry, seemingly confirming this sentiment, took to his Instagram to mock Ronaldo’s comments.
He wrote: “So you need to win the UEFA Champions League to win the Ballon d’Or?”
His post was followed by several laughing emojis.
This year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for September 22.
