Vincent Garcia, the head of the Ballon d’Or, has disclosed that Cristiano Ronaldo has chosen to abstain from voting for this prestigious award.

This decision comes amid indications that the legendary footballer is “very upset” with the outcomes of the award rulings.

Ronaldo, who has claimed the Ballon d’Or five times, ranks second in all-time wins behind Lionel Messi, who boasts eight titles.

However, the Portuguese icon has not been recognized as the world’s best footballer since 2017, marking a significant shift in his career.

Following Messi’s latest victory in 2023, Ronaldo stirred conversation on social media by liking an Instagram post that suggested Messi had won three Ballons d’Or too many.

This sentiment reflects the growing tensions surrounding the award, particularly between the two football greats.

In a striking turn of events, neither Messi nor Ronaldo has made the 30-man shortlist for this year’s Ballon d’Or—a notable first in 21 years.

Garcia told The Times: “Winners have the right to come back to all future ceremonies but they don’t all come, some are very upset with us.

“I don’t know for certain Cristiano is, I don’t talk to him directly, but I know for example that former winners vote for the Kopa Trophy – for the best young player – and Cristiano didn’t vote last year and he didn’t vote this year either.”

Axact

STATE PRESS

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