Ronaldo misses Ballon d'Or for the first time in 20 years

On September 6, a list of nominees for the Ballon d'Or was posted on social media.

Every year this award is presented to the best football player in the world.

It is noteworthy that in 2023, the 38-year-old Portuguese striker Al-Nasr Cristiano Ronaldo was not included in the list of nominees for the award. The last time he was not among the nominees was in 2003, when he was still playing for the Portuguese Sporting.

At the same time, the list of contenders for the award includes his eternal competitor, the captain of the Argentina national team and the American Inter Miami, Lionel Messi.

Also on the list of candidates were France and PSG captain Kylian Mbappe, as well as Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bono, who plays for the Saudi club Al-Hilal.

Recall that Ronaldo joined Al Nasr in January 2023. His agreement runs until 2025. In total, he played 24 matches for the Saudi club, in which he scored 20 goals and made seven assists.

The Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled for October 30.