Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, has thrown fuel on the fire surrounding individual footballing accolades with recent comments questioning the credibility of the Ballon d'Or and The Best awards. Following Lionel Messi's double win in both categories, Ronaldo, now playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, expressed strong opinions that have sparked debate across the footballing world.

"Ballon d'Or and The Best are losing credibility," Ronaldo declared in an interview with Portuguese newspaper Record. "Numbers are reality," he emphasized, pointing towards his own impressive goal-scoring record as evidence. He clarified, "It's not to say that Messi didn't deserve the award, or Haaland or even Mbappe," but stated that, "I simply no longer believe in these awards."

This isn't the first time Ronaldo has hinted at his dissatisfaction with award criteria. He notably won the Globe Soccer Awards player of the year award shortly after the Ballon d'Or announcement, stating, "They can't take this trophy away from me because it's a reality, I'm happier because the numbers are facts." This remark fueled speculation that he views traditional individual awards as subjective and biased.

However, some fans and pundits argue that Ronaldo's outburst could be fueled by his own recent dip in form at Manchester United before his move to Al-Nassr. He acknowledges this himself, saying, "If you go back and see what happened at Man United and Portugal, people actually considered me lost." But he counters, "The truth is that I focused and had a great period at Al Nassr, that's why I scored 54 goals."

Whether Ronaldo's comments stem from genuine grievances with award criteria or a personal desire for further recognition remains open to interpretation. His statements, however, undoubtedly raise important questions about the subjectivity and effectiveness of individual awards in football.

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img via: AFP