The Ballon d’Or debate continues to stir interest during the 2024-25 season—so much so that Cristiano Ronaldo weighed in on the chances of rising stars Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele. But his comments didn’t sit well with everyone, drawing a sharp response from a French legend who took aim at the Portuguese star.
Ahead of the UEFA Nations League final, Ronaldo appeared at a pre-match press conference and addressed a number of topics, including the Ballon d’Or. When asked who deserves the prestigious award, the five-time winner offered a candid take:
“Individual awards have lost some consensus; I can’t say anything about who should win. In my opinion, those who stand out and win the Champions League should win. But there’s no consensus. I don’t believe much in individual awards because I know what goes on behind the scenes. Lamine could win, as could Dembele or Vitinha, other emerging players… But individual awards are irrelevant,” said the former Real Madrid player.
Franck Ribery laughs off Ronaldo’s take
Ronaldo’s comments reignited speculation around this year’s Ballon d’Or race—but his criteria didn’t go unnoticed. France legend Franck Ribery took to social media to voice his disapproval in a pointed response.
“So you NEED to win the Champions League to win the Ballon d’Or?” Ribéry wrote, followed by several laughing emojis. The jab was clearly aimed at Ronaldo and the controversial 2013 Ballon d’Or outcome.
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That year, Ribery had an outstanding campaign, helping Bayern Munich secure the treble—Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League titles. Despite his achievements, the French winger finished third in the voting behind Lionel Messi and eventual winner Ronaldo.
The decision sparked widespread criticism at the time, and Ribery has often reflected on it as one of the biggest snubs in Ballon d’Or history. Over a decade later, with Ronaldo suggesting Champions League success as a decisive factor, the former Bayern star didn’t hesitate to highlight the irony.
