Overview

• At a June 7 press conference, Ronaldo argued that the Ballon d’Or should reward the player who stands out and wins the Champions League.
• He added that individual awards have lost prestige because of what happens behind the scenes in the voting process.
• Ronaldo named Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha as potential candidates for the next Ballon d’Or.
• On June 8, Ribéry sarcastically asked if Champions League success had become mandatory for winning the Ballon d’Or, pointing to his own 2013 snub.
• The exchange has reignited scrutiny over the fairness and criteria of football’s most prestigious individual award.