Lionel Messi graciously congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo on winning his second Ballon d’Or, acknowledging that Ronaldo deserved the victory. Messi stated, “I want to congratulate Cristiano because he won and he deserves it. There is nothing to say. I think it was a good year for all three. I have nothing to claim, nor any excuses to make. I don’t know if it would have been different without my injuries. I’ve been away for a long time, that’s the truth. Cristiano deserved the victory.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the PSG striker who won the Puskas Prize for the best goal, also expressed happiness for Cristiano Ronaldo, stating, “I’m very happy for him. He deserves it.”
This contrasts with the reaction of Michel Platini, who criticized the awarding of the Ballon d’Or to Cristiano Ronaldo. Franck Ribéry, who finished third, refused to respond to the press.
