“Cristiano Ronaldo should have won 2 more” – Piers Morgan makes huge ‘rigged’ claim about Ballon d’Or after Lionel Messi's triumph
Piers Morgan recently said that Lionel Messi did not deserve the Ballon d'Or this year, insisting that Erling Haaland was the best player and should have collected the award in Paris.
The journalist added that Messi should have won two fewer Ballon d'Ors while Cristiano Ronaldo should have had two more to his name. He called the system "rigged" as he went on a rant on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote:
"Messi preposterously winning the Ballon d'Or this year is yet more proof that the whole 'Golden Ball' system is rigged. He should have won 2 fewer, @Cristiano should have won 2 more, and Haaland should have won this year. End."
Several pundits and players have also backed Erling Haaland over Lionel Messi for the Ballon d'Or this year. Many believe that the 2022 FIFA World Cup tilted the whole narrative, and the voters ignored the treble-winning season the Norwegian had at Manchester City.
Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to end his career with more Ballon d'Ors than Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo spoke to Piers Morgan in 2019 and insisted that he needed to win up to 8 Ballon d'Ors to finish above Lionel Messi. He believed that he deserved the prestigious award but acknowledged the contribution of the Argentine.
He said (via Marca):
"Messi's in the history of football. But I think I have to have six or seven or eight [Ballon d'Ors] to be above him. I'd love it, I think I deserve it."
The Al Nassr star said he never chases records but they follow him everywhere he goes. He added:
"I don't follow the records, the records follow me. I'm addicted to the success, and I don't think it's something bad, I think it's good. It motivates me. If you're not motivated, it's better to stop."
Speaking about his relationship with Lionel Messi, Ronaldo added that they were not friends but have pushed each other to their limits. He continued:
"My relationship with him is, we are not friends, but we have shared this stage for 15 years. I know that he has pushed me to be a better player and I have pushed him to be a better player as well."
While Lionel Messi ended up winning his 8th Ballon d'Or on Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo did not make it to the top 30. The Portuguese star had a tough season, with Manchester United terminating his contract and Portugal getting knocked out of the FIFA World Cup at the hands of Morocco.