Rio Ferdinand has claimed that one legendary former player could have won more Ballon d’Ors than former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo if it weren’t for injuries.
Al Nassr captain Ronaldo and Inter Miami skipper Lionel Messi had a stranglehold over the coveted Ballon d’Or award for a decade before Luka Modric’s win in 2018.
Ronaldo has won France Football’s sought-after prize five times, with his first win coming in 2008 during his first spell at Old Trafford.
The 38-year-old Portuguese forward was once tied with Messi at five Ballon d’Or wins apiece before the Inter Miami superstar lifted his sixth award in 2019.
Barcelona legend Messi is currently the outright holder for most Ballon d’Or awards, having won France Football’s trophy for a record-extending eighth time in 2023.
Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten have all captured the award three times, while the likes of Franz Beckenbauer and Alfredo Di Stefano have won it twice.
Ferdinand’s bold Ballon d’Or claim
Brazil legend Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or twice in 1997 and 2002 and is widely considered one of the best strikers of all time.
Ferdinand saw first-hand the incredible brilliance of the two-time World Cup winner, who scored a famous hat-trick against United at Old Trafford in 2003.
Ronaldo played for Real Madrid at the time and received a standing ovation from the Old Trafford crowd after his Champions League performance against United.
Speaking on Ronaldo, Ferdinand recalled his experience of playing against him and claimed the ex-Brazil striker could have won six Ballon d’Ors if it weren’t for injuries.
“If he doesn’t get injured, he probably gets six,” he said on his YouTube channel.
Ferdinand added: “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.
“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,” said Ferdinand.”
Ferdinand puts R9 in same tier as Messi and Ronaldo
Ferdinand sat down for a special edition of his VIBE with FIVE show during the Best FIFA Football Awards, with the annual awards ceremony held in London last week.
The 45-year-old United legend was presented with a tier list of the best players, with tier one featuring Messi, Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, Pele and Zinedine Zidane.
Ferdinand insisted that Brazilian Ronaldo, who was initially placed in tier two, deserved to be in tier one alongside the likes of Messi, Maradona and Pele.
“He’s the best. He’s the best striker’s best striker,” he said.
“Yeah, he’s on table one. R9 is on table one.”
READ MORE: Join the conversation with the United in Focus Whatsapp group
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
