Portugal football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has finally spoken out after being left out of the 2025 Ballon d’Or nominations, describing the award as “fictitious.” The 30-player shortlist, announced last week, did not include the Al-Nassr superstar, who has previously claimed the prestigious Golden Ball five times in his illustrious career. His last win came in 2017 during his time at Real Madrid, marking eight years since he last lifted the accolade.
When Ronaldo won the award in 2017, he and Lionel Messi were tied in total Ballon d’Or victories. Since then, Messi has pulled ahead, securing three more titles and further fueling the long-running GOAT debate between the two football legends. The Argentine’s triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup strengthened his claim to the crown, leaving Ronaldo chasing records elsewhere.
Among the 2025 nominees are three of Ronaldo’s Portugal teammates—Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Nuno Mendes—all representing Paris Saint-Germain and vying for one of the sport’s top honors.
In a brief statement to SportTV, Ronaldo commented on the omission: “That’s fictitious to me,” refusing to elaborate further. His focus now remains on club commitments, having signed a contract extension with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr that will keep him in the Saudi Pro League for another two years.
Ronaldo confirmed his commitment to Al-Nassr on social media, sharing a post that read, “A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together.” He initially joined the club in late 2022 after leaving Manchester United, signing a 2.5-year deal shortly after the Qatar World Cup.
The Portuguese captain recently led his national side to a second UEFA Nations League title, defeating Spain in the final. As he approaches the monumental 1,000-goal milestone, with nearly 950 career goals already scored, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down despite the Ballon d’Or snub.
