Ex EPL Midfielder Takes Swipe at Cristiano Ronaldo After 2023 Ballon d’Or Snub

• Robbie Savage agrees with Cristiano Ronaldo being snubbed for the 2023 Ballon d’Or
• The Portuguese forward was not listed in the top 30 nominees for this year's edition
• Ronaldo failed to make it to the Ballon d’Or shortlist list for the first time since 2003

Robbie Savage has stated it was the proper decision to remove Portugal forward, Cristiano Ronaldo from the running for the 2023 Ballon d'Or award after the nominees were revealed.

The 38-year-old forward misses out on being nominated for the prestigious individual award for the first time since 2003, despite scoring 31 goals for Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team in 2023.

According to Sportskeeda, Savage insisted Ronaldo simply did not do enough to be considered among the contenders for the Ballon d’Or award this year, despite his heroics for his Saudi Arabian side.

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"Half the season at Manchester United, he didn't perform to what we know Cristiano Ronaldo can do. Then [he] goes to Saudi, scores goals but scoring goals in a Saudi league for half a season doesn't nominate you for the Ballon d'Or. I think it's right that Cristiano Ronaldo was not in it for the first time in 20 years."

The Ballon d'Or nominees for this year were announced on September 7 by France Football, the French publication in charge of the award, with Ronaldo absent from the list for the first time in 20 years.

Ronaldo returns to Al-Nassr after Portugal suspension

Meanwhile, after being suspended and unable to play in Portugal's upcoming Euro 2024 qualification match against Luxembourg, Ronaldo has already returned to Al-Nassr, GOAL reports.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner escaped a red card for a tackle on Martin Dubravka after he caught the Slovakian goalkeeper in the face with a reckless lunge in Portugal’s 1-0 win on Friday.

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Ronaldo's Selecao has won all five of its group stage games thus far and with only five games remaining, they are five points ahead of Slovakia in second place, ensuring qualification for Euro 2024 is on track.

Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed another record

Sports Brief also reported on Ronaldo reaching a new milestone with Portugal as he surpassed Iker Casillas as the second player with the second-most international wins in men’s football.

With 122 wins with the Selecao, the Al-Nassr captain is now within touching distance of his ex-teammate, Sergio Ramos, who recently announced his retirement from international football.