Cristiano Ronaldo will reportedly not be heading to Lionel Messi’s new home of Paris on Monday for a ceremony which is expected to send his fellow great further ahead of him in Ballon d’Or wins.
Paris Saint-Germain newcomer Messi is the strong favorite to win the award for a record seventh time, moving him two gongs ahead of his most familiar rival for the prize.
Despite scoring 43 goals, providing six assists and winning two domestic trophies with former club Juventus this year, Ronaldo is a rank outsider to lift the trophy for a sixth occasion – and the first time since 2017.
Poland captain and Bayern Munich goal machine Robert Lewandowski is thought to be the only player with an outside chance of beating Messi, with Ronaldo reputedly well down the pecking order.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">❌ Cristiano Ronaldo will NOT be in Paris today for <a href="https://twitter.com/francefootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@francefootball</a> Ballon D’or Ceremony 🇵🇹 <a href="https://t.co/2IdFRLk38v">pic.twitter.com/2IdFRLk38v</a></p>— Pedro Sepúlveda (@pedromsepulveda) <a href="https://twitter.com/pedromsepulveda/status/1465288405433131010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://t.co/O211zRc79n">pic.twitter.com/O211zRc79n</a></p>— Russell (@demigodruss) <a href="https://twitter.com/demigodruss/status/1465308250530795525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
That is certain to frustrate the Portugal skipper if reports of one of his remaining targets in the game are true.
Pascal Ferre, the editor of France Football, is widely reported to have told the New York Times that Ronaldo wants to win the title more times than Messi by the time he finally retires.
“Ronaldo has only one ambition and that is to retire with more Ballon d’Or [awards] than Messi,” Ferre has been quoted as saying. “I know because he has told me.”
Evergreen Ronaldo is two years older than 34-year-old Messi, meaning time is realistically running out for that aim to be fulfilled.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Top goal scorer in the history of football<br>Top goal scorer in Serie A<br>Top goal scorer in Euro<br><br>Yet Ronaldo doesn't deserve the ballon d'or!!!?? My GOAT never had it easy <a href="https://t.co/I99zMBQU9k">pic.twitter.com/I99zMBQU9k</a></p>— Caxton Mania (@CaxtonMania88) <a href="https://twitter.com/CaxtonMania88/status/1465299770000523270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">whyyy ?? because lewa take his job 👀👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 <a href="https://t.co/V8rXwCPqMr">pic.twitter.com/V8rXwCPqMr</a></p>— S໐fʏᴀ ¹⁷ ✨ (@Sofya_Griezmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sofya_Griezmann/status/1465289423348711433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
Ronaldo drew level with Messi on five triumphs while he was with Spanish giants Real Madrid four years ago.