Goodbye, Cristiano: Ronaldo's Ballon d'Or snub is another sad sign of Al-Nassr superstar's irrelevance as Europe continues to forget about one of the game's GOATs
The Portuguese striker was not included among the 30 nominees for the 2023 prize — which confirmed that his time at the top of the game is over
For the first time in 20 years, Cristiano Ronaldo will not be competing for the most prestigious individual award football has to offer. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid talisman received a record 19 consecutive Ballon d'Or nominations between 2004 and 2022, winning five times, but there was no place for him on the final shortlist this time around.
Ronaldo, who is currently away on international duty with Portugal, will no doubt have been left reeling by the snub given the size of his ego — which remains as inflated as ever despite his January move to Al-Nassr. He has, after all, made it clear that he plans to continue playing at the «highest level' into his forties.
But he is completely oblivious to the fact that he stopped being relevant a long time ago. European football has moved on from Ronaldo, whose vain attempts to extend his illustrious career are actually serving to damage his overall legacy.
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