Author: Dhruv Patil
In a surprising twist, Cristiano Ronaldo’s name is noticeably absent from the list of 30 nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or, marking the first time he has been left out of the prestigious award since 2003. The annual nominations, compiled by France Football magazine, have always included the soccer legend for an incredible 20 years so far.
Ronaldo’s gradual decline in the rankings over the last few seasons is evident, as his move to Manchester United in 2021 took him to 6th place, breaking his podium streak dating back to 2010. The following year, his ranking dropped even further, to 20th place. Contributing to his omission this year was his performance at the World Cup in Qatar, where he spent a significant part of the tournament on the bench for Portugal.
With five Ballon d’Or titles to his name, Cristiano Ronaldo is the second most decorated player with the award, behind Lionel Messi’s seven titles. Currently playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo is among the few players from the Middle Eastern country to have received a Ballon d’Or nomination. Among them are Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema and Al-Hilal’s Yassine Bounou.
Ronaldo’s journey up the Ballon d’Or rankings over the last two decades has been a rollercoaster ride, with moments of triumph and occasional setbacks:
- 2004: 9th place
- 2005: 20th place
- 2006: 14th place
- 2007: 2nd place
- 2008: Winner
- 2009: 2nd place
- 2010: 6th place
- 2011: 2nd place
- 2012: 2nd place
- 2013: Winner
- 2014: Winner
- 2015: 2nd place
- 2016: Winner
- 2017: Winner
- 2018: 2nd place
- 2019: 3rd place
- 2020: No premium due to pandemic*
- 2021: 6th place
- 2022: 20th place
- 2023: Not indicated
Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence this year will mark a historic moment in the illustrious career of one of sport’s greatest icons.