Ronaldo's Sixth Ballon d'Or 'Stolen' by Modric, Claims Man United Legend

• Rio Ferdinand previously spoke out on Cristiano Ronaldo's 'missing' sixth Ballon d'Or prize
• The ex-Manchester United defender believes the veteran should have won that year's title
• Ferdinand and Ronaldo were teammates at the Old Trafford outfit between 2003 and 2009

Rio Ferdinand firmly believes that Cristiano Ronaldo was unfairly denied his sixth Ballon d'Or in 2018.

The Manchester United legend, who once shared the pitch with the current Al-Nassr superstar, contended that the Portuguese veteran would have secured his sixth award five years ago if the selection process had been impartial.

At that time, Ronaldo was the frontrunner for the coveted award but the remarkable performances of Luka Modric during the 2018 FIFA World Cup with Croatia, coupled with his club success at Real Madrid, led to him claiming football's biggest individual prize.

Modric's Ballon d'Or triumph arguably caught the football world off-guard, as he became the first player other than Ronaldo and his longtime rival, Lionel Messi to claim the award since Ricardo Kaka in 2007, per The Indian Express.

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If the award had been bestowed upon the now 38-year-old, he would have celebrated six wins. Messi has since surpassed him with seven awards and is the favourite to secure a record-extending eighth this month, per GOAL.

During a discussion on the Vibe with FIVE podcast, featuring American YouTuber, iShowSpeed, Ferdinand expressed his belief that Ronaldo was unjustly denied the accolade.

Ronaldo robbed of 2018 Ballon d'Or: Ferdinand

After Speed had inquired about which of the two veterans had more Ballon d'Or awards, Ferdinand agreed it was Messi and mentioned his seven titles compared to Ronaldo's five.

However, the Man United legend was swift to underscore the injustice in 2018 when Modric surpassed his fellow Real Madrid teammate to claim the coveted prize.

Ronaldo misses out on 2023 Ballon d'Or

While Ferdinand lamented the missed chance in 2018, for the first time since 2003, Ronaldo was excluded from Ballon d'Or nominees for 2023, Sports Brief previously reported.

The Portuguese icon has been a constant presence among the contenders for football's most prestigious individual honour since his debut with Manchester United twenty years ago.