Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes says the Manchester United forward should win this year’s Ballon d’Or award.
Ronaldo has won the award five times and is hoping this year might win him a sixth.
Ronaldo is one of two Manchester United players nominated for this year’s award along with Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes.
Agent Jorge Mendes represents both players, and he believes Ronaldo is deserving of this year’s top honour.
Speaking to France Football, Mendes said: “The figures and statistics linked to the name of Cristiano Ronaldo speak for him and should be enough in my opinion for him to win another Ballon d’Or.
“The absolutely remarkable total of 115 goals for the Portuguese national team makes him the record holder in the history of men’s international football. This year he broke this 15-year-old record, to which he can add that to being the top scorer in the history of professional football.
“All these achievements, which represent the greatest performance in football history, should be decisive in the awarding of the trophy, as he continues to demonstrate that he is, without a doubt, the best football player in the world of all time.”
Counting against Ronaldo is a lack of team trophies this year. Juventus did not win anything last season and Portugal were unsuccessful in retaining the Euros.
But Mendes points out that the award is for individuals and Ronaldo’s achievements better anybody else’s, especially factoring in his age.
Mendes continued: “It is true that it is an individual trophy, but let’s not forget that Cristiano Ronaldo was the top scorer in the demanding Serie A and he was also the top scorer in the last European Championship.
“He holds the record for goals in the Champions League and he is the only player in the world to have won everything in three different countries with the maximum competitiveness, as was the case in England, Italy and Spain.
“All this at the age of 36, with absolutely unique consistency, commitment and a phenomenal ability to overcome difficulties. In my opinion, this year the Ballon d’Or has a name: Cristiano Ronaldo. For me, he has never deserved it so much.”
Mendes makes a strong case
For years the Ballon d’Or has been contested between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
This year Messi finally won an international trophy as Argentina won the Copa America, but individually it has not been as impressive as his previous seasons.
Messi has six Ballon d’Or’s to Ronaldo’s five, but this year Ronaldo’s strongest competition may come from Poland’s Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski was denied his first Ballon d’Or award last year when the award was cancelled amid Covid.
The Bayern Munich striker has continued to score at an unstoppable rate and is among the favourites to win the award this time, with a pang of regret over his missed opportunity last year no doubt helping his cause.
Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United has raised his own profile and may help his own cause. Two goals in two Champions League games helps too.
But Ronaldo will need to finish the next month or so with a flourish in order to sway a few late votes.
- Every former Man Utd player to play in MLS after Eric Bailly’s latest move
- Jason Wilcox has just shown why Amorim had to be sacked with pointed praise for Michael Carrick
- Newcastle’s £46m rejected bid proves that Man Utd have completed the best deal of the summer
- Michael Carrick might have provided a hint on Patrick Dorgu plans as transfer priority becomes clear
- Who is Tynan Thompson? Exciting Spurs wonderkid linked with move to Man Utd
- Ruben Amorim’s biggest wonderkid success story is ending brutally as Man Utd pre-season begins
- Dan Gore will hope for better Man Utd pre-season outing vs Wrexham than he had in 2023
- When Man Utd played Wrexham in the European Cup Winners’ Cup
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
