Revealed: Why Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly keen to attend Ballon d'Or ceremony for the first time in 5 years despite rocky relationship with award organizers

Cristiano Ronaldo is planning to attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony on October 17 for the first time in five years as his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema is the favorite to pick up the prestigious award on Monday evening.

Le Parisien reports (via Mirror) that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to be at the ceremony so that he can celebrate Benzema's potentially winning the award. He is one of the 30 players nominated for the award but is not the favorite for the trophy he has won five times in his career.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been on the 30-man shortlist for the award every year since his first nomination in 2005. However, the Portuguese has not attended the ceremony since 2017 when he last won the award.

The Manchester United forward missed the award ceremony in 2021 and France Football’s editor Pascal Ferre launched a scathing attack on the Portuguese star. Ferre stated that Ronaldo wants to retire with more Ballon d'Ors than any other player and said:

"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."

The Manchester United star hit back on Instagram, calling out Ferre as a liar, which indicated that his relationship with the award organizers had reached a new low. Cristiano Ronaldo wrote:

"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 and Lionel Messi's Ballon d'Or dominance coming to an end

Ronaldo last won the Ballon d'Or in 2017, which was the fifth time in his career he had won the trophy. Lionel Messi is the current holder of the honor, taking home the glistening trophy for the seventh time last year.

Since 2008, only Luka Modric had won the award other than the duo, thanks to his impressive performances with Real Madrid and Croatia. However, it appears Ronaldo and Messi's dominance at the awards has finally come to an end.

Messi has not been included in the 30-man shortlist itself while Ronaldo has a 40/1 odds of taking the trophy home, as per Eurosport.

Karim Benzema is the favorite to win the award this year after winning the UEFA Champions League and La Liga with Real Madrid last season, finishing as the top scorer in both competitions.

The French striker also scored a goal against Barcelona in El Clasico on Sunday (October 16) and has continued his rich form this term as well.