When asked about this year's election season, the Portuguese superstar appeared upset and replied briefly: "It's a legend for me."
This statement quickly sparked controversy in the football world. Previously, right before the UEFA Nations League 2025 final, Ronaldo questioned the value of this award, saying that only the Champions League champions deserved to be honored.
He affirmed: "I no longer believe in Ballon d'Or awards, because I understand what goes on behind the scenes."
In the past, Ronaldo has repeatedly expressed skepticism about the Ballon d'Or, especially after Lionel Messi surpassed him in the number of wins (8 compared to Ronaldo's 5). Many experts believe that Ronaldo's criticism of the award comes from being overwhelmed by Messi.
Ronaldo's latest statement also prompted former player Franck ribery to speak out against it. In 2013, ribery was rated higher than Ronaldo in terms of form and title when he won the Champions League with Bayern Munich, but still lost in the election.
In response to Ronaldo's view that the Ballon d'Or should be awarded to the Champions League champion, ribery responded on social media with a laughing stock: "He says it is necessary to win the Champions League to win the Ballon d'Or".
