“If he doesn’t get injured, he probably gets six” - Rio Ferdinand names footballer who could have won more Ballons d’Or than Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has stated that Ronaldo Nazario would have won six Ballon d'Or awards in his career had he remained fit. Ferdinand, one of the best English defenders of his generation, claimed that the Brazilian striker gave him nightmares before their meetings.
Speaking on his YouTube podcast, Vibe with Five, Ferdinand said that the two-time Ballon d'Or winner would have added four more to his collection if he had stayed fit. A tally of six Ballons d'Or would placed Ronaldo second on the all-time list, behind Lionel Messi and one ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ferdinand said (via United in Focus):
"If he doesn't get injured, he probably gets six."
Ferdinand also recalled his meeting with Ronaldo at Old Trafford, saying:
"It was me on my own. Just me against Ronaldo. Two of the goals, I will die saying this, [Fabien] Barthez should have saved. Mate, the ball bounced before it hit the net. I come out of the screen but I don't know where I've come from."
The former England centre-back added:
"One of the times I shuffled over, I got over, and my position was like I would take the same position again and say if you score from here, it's a miracle. He [Ronaldo] beats me at the near post. R9 – I've got to say, that was injuries after operations after operations – is the only player that I have played against, and before the game, I've been going in my bed, the night before, s**t."
Ronaldo scored a hat-trick at Old Trafford and helped Real Madrid win 6-5 on aggregate in the Champions League quarterfinals, back in 2003. The Brazilian legend famously received a standing ovation from the Old Trafford crowd as he walked off the pitch that evening.
Ronaldo Nazario picked Lionel Messi as his 2023 Ballon d'Or winner
Several pundits and players questioned Lionel Messi winning his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023, but Ronaldo Nazario put his weight behind the Argentine. He claimed that the Inter Miami superstar deserved it after winning the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
Ronaldo was quoted by Albiceleste Talk on X as saying:
"Messi deserves to win the Ballon d'Or. I think he will be crowned. He won the World Cup, which is a very big tournament."
Ronaldo Nazario remains the youngest player to win the Ballon d'Or. The Brazilian won it when he was 21 years and 92 days old in 1997, after an impressive season with Barcelona.