Franck Ribery aims subtle dig at Cristiano Ronaldo over controversial Ballon d'Or comments

• Franck Ribery has sarcastically responded to Cristiano Ronaldo’s assertion that lone Champions League winners should triumph the Ballon d’Or
• Ribery, who was overlooked for the 2013 Ballon d’Or contempt winning 5 trophies, calls the determination "political"
• Ronaldo defended his stance, saying the grant has "lost its value" without Champions League success

Franck Ribery has reignited statement implicit the Ballon d’Or aft firing a subtle changeable astatine Cristiano Ronaldo for suggesting the grant has mislaid its value.

Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, precocious claimed that lone players who triumph the Champions League should beryllium eligible to triumph the prestigious idiosyncratic award, a connection that did not beryllium good with the erstwhile French international.

Cristiano Ronaldo made the assertion that lone a subordinate who won the Champions League should beryllium eligible to triumph the Ballon d'Or. Photo by Angel Martinez
Source: Getty Images

Ribery, who finished 3rd successful the 2013 Ballon d’Or contention down Lionel Messi and Ronaldo, took to societal media to respond with sarcasm, questioning Ronaldo’s logic and appearing to allude to his ain arguable Ballon d’Or snub much than a decennary ago.

Ronaldo doubles down connected his opinion

According to GiveMeSport, speaking up of Portugal’s Nations League last with Spain, 40-year-old Ronaldo defended his stance, stating:

“For me, whoever wins the Ballon d'Or indispensable beryllium a subordinate who has won the Champions League. I deliberation this grant has mislaid its value.”

This is not a caller presumption for the Portuguese legend, who besides felt Vinicius Junior should person won the 2024 variation of the award.

Ronaldo’s comments person rekindled conversations astir the criteria for football's astir prestigious idiosyncratic honour, which has often sparked controversy.

Ribery’s sarcastic effect sparks debate

Ribery did not mince words successful his reaction, posting to Instagram:

“So you NEED to triumph the Champions League to triumph the Ballon d’Or?” followed by 3 laughing emojis.

The Bayern Munich legend’s remark came aft Ronaldo reiterated his content that the Champions League should beryllium the eventual decider for Ballon d’Or contenders.

According to the Metro, this is not the archetypal clip Ribery has aired his frustrations arsenic the erstwhile Bayern Munich winger has consistently voiced that helium felt robbed successful 2013.

Franck Ribery has antecedently gone connected grounds suggesting that it was a governmental determination that stopped him from winning the Ballon d'Or. Photo by Stephen Pond
Source: Getty Images

Ribery had led Bayern Munich to a historical treble, including the Bundesliga, German Cup, and UEFA Champions League titles.

Despite being named UEFA’s Best Player successful Europe that year, the Frenchman mislaid retired connected the Ballon d’Or to Ronaldo, who failed to triumph a trophy with Real Madrid but scored an awesome 66 goals successful 56 games.

Ballon d'Or criteria nether scrutiny again

This year, Ousmane Dembele is the starring campaigner to triumph the Ballon d’Or aft starring the Parisians to triumph their first-ever Champions League title.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Barcelona duo Lamine Yamal and Raphinha are inactive successful the premix for the 2025 award.

While show and stats matter, large trophies, media narratives, and voting politics often power the last result.

Yamal overtakes Dembele successful Ballon d’Or rankings

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Spain’s sensational 5-4 triumph implicit France successful the UEFA Nations League semi-final connected Thursday nighttime has dramatically shifted the communicative surrounding the 2025 Ballon d’Or race.

Barcelona teen Lamine Yamal stole the headlines with a commanding performance, netting a brace and providing an assistance successful what could beryllium a defining infinitesimal successful his young career.

With his display, the 17-year-old helped Spain scope the last and leapfrogged erstwhile frontrunner Ousmane Dembele successful the updated Ballon d’Or rankings.

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Source: Legit.ng