Cristiano Ronaldo has hit out at the Chief Editor of France Football saying he lied about comments on Lionel Messi and Ronaldo’s absence from tonight’s gala.
The Manchester United forward has lifted five Golden Balls throughout his career, but his longstanding rival Messi has claimed one more and could take his tally to seven on Monday night.
France Football editor Pascal Ferre had told the New York Times that “Ronaldo has only one ambition, and that is to retire with more Ballons d’Or than Messi…. and I know that because he has told me.”
In addition, Ferre claimed that Ronaldo was missing tonight’s gala in Paris due to being in quarantine but the 36-year-old insisted he chose to be absent and is not isolating.
Ronaldo took to Instagram to publish a lengthy statement in Portuguese, which you can read translated in English below:
“Today’s outcome explains why Pascal Ferré’s statements last week, when he said that I confided in him that my only ambition was to finish my career with more Golden Balls than Lionel Messi. Pascal Ferré lied, he used my name for to promote yourself and to promote the publication you work 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. And he lied again today, justifying my absence from the Gala with an alleged quarantine that has no reason to exist.
“I always want to congratulate those who win, within the sportsmanship and fair-play that have guided my career since the beginning, and I do it because I’m never against anyone. I always win for myself and for the clubs I represent, I win for myself and for those who love me. I don’t win against anyone.
“The biggest ambition of my career is to win national and international titles for the clubs I represent and for the national team in my country. The biggest ambition of my career is to be a good example for all those who are or want to be professional footballers. The biggest ambition of my career is to leave my name written in golden letters in the history of world football.
“I will end by saying that my focus is already on Manchester United’s next game and on everything that, together with my team-mates and our fans, we can still achieve this season. The rest? The rest is just the rest…”
