Ronaldo hit back after former Ballon d’Or chief’s comments made him ‘look like a liar’

Pascal Ferre, the former director of France Football, has recalled the public dispute he had with Cristiano Ronaldo after saying the Portugal forward’s ambition was to win more Ballon d’Or awards than Lionel Messi.

Ferre joined the editorial team at France Football in 1986 and became the magazine’s director in 1996. He remained in the role until 2023, giving him a close view of the Ballon d’Or and the controversies surrounding it, particularly during the long rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo.

Speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca, Ferre discussed the pair’s dominance of the award between 2008 and 2017.

“They monopolised the award because they were the best in the world,” he said. “They were players from another planet.”

Ferre also explained how his comments about Ronaldo led to a public response from the former Real Madrid player.

“I gave an interview to The New York Times and said that Cristiano’s dream was to win more Ballon d’Ors than Messi,” Ferre said.

“Perhaps I did not express myself very well, but it was no secret that he was an extremely competitive player. He responded to me on social media and, in the end, made me look like a liar in front of millions of followers, but it was not serious.”

Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or five times, while Messi has claimed the award on eight occasions.

Ferre also spoke about the influence of clubs and players in the history of the prize, highlighting the role of Real Madrid.

“It is true that, in Cristiano’s world, and particularly at Real Madrid, they knew what they had to do within the rules of the game,” he said.

“These are institutions that impose their presence in football and in this award. Real Madrid has been linked to the Ballon d’Or from the beginning, with Di Stefano and then Kopa, while Barcelona had to wait until 1960 to win it through Luis Suarez.

“That is why there is a special relationship between the award and Spanish clubs.”

The Ballon d’Or rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo defined much of the award’s modern history. Their combined success accounted for every winner between 2008 and 2017, with Ronaldo collecting five trophies and Messi eight overall.