Before Lionel Messi won his seventh Ballon d'Or on Monday, Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo broke his silence on the rumors that his “only ambition” is to beat the Argentine star when it comes to the number of Golden Ball awards.
Ronaldo, who opted to skip the event in Paris, has won five Ballon d'Or trophies in his career. As mentioned, Messi now has seven following his latest accomplishment.
Prior to the awarding ceremony, though, reports surfaced that Ronaldo is hell-bent on surpassing Messi's Ballon d'Or count. France Football editor-in-chief Pascal Ferre made the revelation in an interview with the New York Times, claiming that it was the Manchester United striker that told him that.
In response to the report, Ronaldo took to social media to fire back at the claim. Simply put, he called fake news and emphasized that Ferre “lied” and used him to promote his publication.
“Today's outcome explains why Pascal Ferre's statements last week, when he said that I confided in him that my only ambition was to finish my career with more Ballons d'Or than Lionel Messi,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram and Facebook.
“Pascal Ferre lied, he used my name to promote himself and to promote the publication he works for. It is unacceptable that the person responsible for awarding such a prestigious prize could lie in this way, in absolute disrespect for someone who has always respected France Football and the Ballon d'Or.”
Cristiano Ronaldo also addressed his absence in the ceremony, saying that Ferre lied again in saying that his absence from the Gala is because of “an alleged quarantine that has no reason to exist.”
As for his true career goal, the Manchester United star noted that all he wants is to leave his name “written in golden letters in the history of world football.” He then pointed out that his focus now is helping Manchester United win their next game and the other leagues they are currently playing at.
“I will end by saying that my focus is already on Manchester United's next game and on everything that, together with my teammates and our fans, we can still achieve this season,” the 36-year-old added.
This is undoubtedly what Red Devil fans would want to hear from the veteran scorer. With Manchester United far a way from the European spots in the Premier League standings, they will need CR7 to be focused on the team instead of individual accolades.
Ronaldo, who was brutally benched during their game against Chelsea on Sunday, will now look forward to facing Arsenal this week. Who knows, if he is able to turn around the season for Man U, he could very well contend for the Ballon d'Or once again next year.