The golden ball race intensifies, and the legends of the game go there from their prognosis. This Saturday, on the sidelines of the final of the League of Nations, Cristiano Ronaldo delivered an analysis which did not go unnoticed. For the Portuguese superstar, things are clear: “The one who has to win the Ballon d'Or must be a player who won the Champions League. »» A strong declaration, which redefines the contours of the trophy race. But by posing this criterion as an absolute condition, CR7 has without knowing it reopened a scar never really closed in one of its old and larger rivals. The answer was quick, and it is as brief as it is scathing.
The Assassin Pique of Ribéry, the 2013 wound revived
This delay tackle is signed Franck Ribéry. On his Instagram account, the former winger of Bayern Munich reacted to the exit of Ronaldo with a falsely naive and terribly ironic question: “So, do you need to win the Champions League for the Ballon d'Or?” »» A sentence that sends back directly to one of the greatest trauma in his career: the Ballon d'Or 2013. That year, Ribéry had won everything with Bayern, including the precious Champions League. He was the logical favorite, but the trophy had escaped him for the benefit … of Cristiano Ronaldo.
If the spades may seem to be a simple joke, it draws its source from a tenacious bitterness. Last March, Ribéry still entrusted to the team: “This Ballon d'Or will forever remain an injustice. I'm still looking for the explanation. »» He never understood this outcome, convinced that he had been at the time at the top of his art:
“In all humility, in 2013, I had nothing to envy them (to Messi and Ronaldo). The release of CR7 was therefore the perfect opportunity to remind him, not without malice, that the rules seemed very different twelve years ago.
Cristiano Ronaldo evokes the Ballon d'Or, Ribéry reminds him of the “flight” of 2013!
Ronaldo's inconsistency pointed out
Beyond his own story, Ribéry highlights a certain inconsistency in the speech of the Portuguese. At the time when he stamped the golden balloons (five in total), Cristiano Ronaldo never complained when the trophy was attributed to a player who did not lift the cup to the big ears. Likewise, he did not call into question the ” value “ of the reward when he won her himself. By changing his speeches now that he is further away from the race, he is exposed to this type of flame return, and Ribéry did not miss the opportunity.
This new episode proves it once again: the Ballon d'Or is not just a reward. It is a catalyst for endless passions, frustrations and debates. The position of Cristiano Ronaldo and the instant replica of Franck Ribéry are only the last chapter of a long history of controversies. One thing is certain, as the verdict approaches, discussions are just beginning and promise to be, as always, lively.
