Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the winners from 2024 Globe Soccer Awards. The 39-year-old Portuguese player, currently on Al-Nassr, was awarded with the Best Middle East player trophy.
Before the gala, Ronaldo was interviewed alongside Thibaut Courtois, who also received a special prize. And Ronaldo said that Vinícius was unfairly denied of the Ballon d'Or earlier that year. "In my opinion, he deserved to win the golden ball. It was unfair in my opinion. I say here in front of everybody."
Vinícius later won the Best Men's Award, over 17 othernominees here, including Rodri Hernández, the midfielder from Manchester City and captain of the Spanish team that lifted UEFA Euro 2024 winning all their games.
"They give it to Rodri, he deserved it too, but they should have given it to Vinícius because he won the Champions League and scored in the final", Ronaldo said.
Cristiano Ronaldo and his grudge over Ballon d'Or
Cristiano Ronaldo may have a little grudge over France Football and the Ballon d'Or. He has won the Ballon d'Or five times, second only to Leo Messi... who won it eight times. Instead, in the Dubai held Globe Soccer Awards, he has won the Best Men's Player a record six times, while Leo Messi only won it once, in 2015. That is not counting other kind of awards like Best Middle-East player trophy, which Ronaldo has won the two times it has been awarded, in 2023 and 2024.