Monday 29 November 2021
“Unacceptable to lie like that”
Cristiano Ronaldo is mad at Ballon d’Or
Cristiano Ronaldo is missing from the Ballon d’Or gala, and yet he is the topic of conversation. Because the attacker defends himself against the portrayal of “France Football” editor-in-chief Pascal Ferré. The trade magazine awards the Golden Ball – and Ferré attracts the wrath of the superstar.
The Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo attacked the co-organizer of the important soccer award shortly before the Ballon d’Or ceremony. “Pascal Ferré lied, he used my name to advertise himself and the newspaper he works for,” wrote Ronaldo on Instagram. He responded to statements by the editor-in-chief of “France Football”, who had claimed that Ronaldo’s main goal was to end his career with more gold balls than his all-time rival Lionel Messi.
The “New York Times” quoted Ferré as saying, referring to a personal conversation with the 36-year-old attacker: “I know that because he told me.” Ronaldo sharply rejected this. First of all, he does not see personal awards as a status symbol, but as a reward for one’s own performance. “I always win for myself and for the clubs I represent, I win for myself and for those who love me. I don’t win against anyone,” wrote Ronaldo in a detailed post.
“It is unacceptable for the person responsible for awarding such a prestigious award to lie in this way, with utter disrespect to someone who has always respected France Football and the Ballon d’Or,” added Ronaldo. The Portuguese has won the award organized by the French specialist magazine five times in his career. In the election this year, he finished sixth. Behind Lionel Messi, who was awarded the Ballon d’Or for the seventh time.
Ronaldo was not at the gala in Paris. He disagreed that the reason was quarantine. His focus is already on the next game with Manchester United. Coach Ralf Rangnick’s new team will face Arsenal in the Premier League on Thursday. The German coach was officially presented to the English record champions in the morning as the successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.