Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t win Ballon d’Or last year because of Real Madrid, believes Giorgio Chiellini

12/03/2019

Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini believes that the only reason Cristiano Ronaldo didn't win the 2018 Ballon d’Or was that his former employers Real Madrid didn’t want him to. Cristiano had the chance to win it for the 6th time, but it was Croatia captain Luka Modric who claimed the prize.

Cristiano Ronaldo moved from Real Madrid to Juventus in 2018 and had a respectable first season with the Old Lady. However, the former Manchester United man failed to swoop the biggest individual prize, the Ballon d’Or last year and Giorgio Chiellini feels that Los Blancos were the reason why he was not victorious for the sixth time last year, as reported by Marca. Ronaldo came second behind winner Luka Modric, who had an exceptional year with Real Madrid and national team Croatia.

“Ronaldo was really robbed of the Ballon d'Or last season, when Real Madrid decided to make sure he wouldn't win it, and that was really strange. With all due respect, Modric, even in his best season of his career, didn't deserve it. That was a signal from Real Madrid, as they wanted to stop Ronaldo winning it,” Chiellini told Marca.

won the Champions League but, by that logic, ) Van Dijk should've won it this year, or last year Griezmann, Pogba or Mbappe for doing extraordinary things at the World Cup. Modric made no sense.”

Lionel Messi became the first man to win six Ballon d'Or awards after defeating the likes of Virgil Van Dijk, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane. Virgil Van Dijk had a brilliant year with Liverpool winning the UEFA Champions League but it was Messi who produced magical performances throughout the year for the Blaugrana, helping him win the prize for the record sixth time.