Ronaldo Nazário, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, is uniquely positioned to comment on those who were overlooked. He himself won the award at a young age and came close to winning on several other occasions.
Ronaldo Nazário, the Brazilian soccer legend and two-time Ballon d’Or winner, has weighed in on the debate surrounding players who deserved to win the prestigious award but never did. His selections, reported in Marca, highlight the subjective nature of such awards and bring attention to the exceptional careers of some often-overlooked players.
Ronaldo’s choices offer a unique perspective, based on his own experience at the highest level of the game, and emphasize the significant contributions made by several legendary players.
Ronaldo Nazário himself won two Ballon d’Or awards, becoming the youngest-ever recipient at 21 years old. His second Ballon d’Or came in 2002 following a memorable World Cup, highlighting his extraordinary ability and significant impact on the game.
However, he came close to winning the award on several other occasions, finishing second to Matthias Sammer in 1996 and demonstrating the fierce competition and high standards required to claim this prestigious individual accolade. His own experiences add weight to his opinion on those players who were, in his view, unfairly overlooked.
Ronaldo’s six Ballon d’Or snubs
Ronaldo’s list of players who deserved a Ballon d’Or includes Italian strikers Alessandro del Piero and Francesco Totti; AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini; and former Real Madrid teammates Roberto Carlos and Raúl. He explained his inclusion of Roberto Carlos, stating, “Roberto Carlos, too, because he was twice behind me in the voting.”
This illustrates the competitive nature of the award and the highly-talented players frequently competing for the prestigious trophy. The choices reflect a balance of talent and impact across several positions.
Ronaldo also singled out Andrés Iniesta, calling him the “best Spanish player of all time,” despite Iniesta’s failure to win a Ballon d’Or. He stated to Cadena Ser, “Iniesta deserved a Ballon d’Or, but he doesn’t need it; he already has an incredible list of trophies and a great career.”
In 2021, Ronaldo named his top four greatest soccer players of all time: Pelé, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo. This selection highlights the extraordinary talent and lasting impact of these four players and their influence on the game of football. The four players chosen reflect an impressive and historically relevant list of players, and are likely to resonate strongly with football fans around the world. The selection of these four players undoubtedly highlights the difficult choice of selecting a single “best ever” player.
