Ronaldo's Sister Seems to Take Swipe at Messi Amid Ballon d'Or Win Controversy

• Cristiano Ronaldo's sister has commented on a post seemingly slamming Lionel Messi
• On Monday night in Paris, the Argentine forward secured his eighth Ballon d'Or award
• It extended his record at the coveted awards to a three-title lead over his famed rival

Cristiano Ronaldo's sister has come to the Al-Nassr superstar's defence by commenting on a social media post that seemed to criticise Lionel Messi after his Ballon d'Or victory earlier this week.

The Argentine superstar secured his eighth prize at the awards ceremony in Paris on Monday, extending his own record after a remarkable performance in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

At the tournament, Messi played a pivotal role in leading his national team to victory, leading the South American nation from an opening group-stage loss to beating France in the grand final.

Messi's historic win put him three titles ahead of his long-standing rival, Ronaldo, who last claimed the coveted individual prize in 2017, per Eurosport.

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While many celebrated the 36-year-old for his achievement, some critics argued served purely as recognition of his lifetime of contributions to the sport.

Katia Aveiro slams Messi's Ballon d'Or victory

Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro seemed to align with this viewpoint as she responded to a social media post celebrating the accomplishments of the Portuguese superstar right after Monday's awards event.

The post, originally on Instagram, featured the 38-year-old showcasing a collection of his personal accolades such as three UEFA Men's Player of the Year awards, four European Golden Shoes - and five Ballon d'Or.

A rather acidic comment accompanied the image on social media stating, 'Earned, not given' - an obvious dig at Messi who has claimed at least two somewhat contentious Ballon d'Or prizes at the award recently.

Aveiro expressed her approval of the post by liking it and leaving a comment of five clapping emojis, possibly in recognition of her brother's five Ballon d'Or wins - or perhaps to simply underscore her strong endorsement of the message.

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Ronaldo’s sister labels 2022 World Cup 'worst'

This is not the first time either that Ronaldo's outspoken sister has entered the ongoing debate between the two icons of modern football.

Last year, the Portuguese pop singer made a statement on social media, branding the World Cup as 'the worst', as Sports Brief reported.

Prior to that, Aveiro had implored Ronaldo to leave the Portuguese camp after he was benched for some matches at the Qatari tournament.

Messi's name 'banned' in Ronaldo's household

Sports Brief also reported that in 2018, Ronaldo's sister stated they avoid discussing the forward's longtime rival within the family.

Within the confines of their home, Aveiro explained they are expected to adhere to a strict rule - to never mention Messi's name.