Amid leaked reports suggesting Lionel Messi will win this year's Ballon d'Or, it has now also been claimed that longstanding rival Cristiano Ronaldo could snub the Golden Ball ceremony once again.
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Earlier this week, Mundo Deportivo claimed that the Argentine had been informed by France Football this week that he will pick up his record-breaking sixth Ballon d'Or on Monday.
It would be Messi's first Golden Ball since 2015, while Ronaldo would miss out on becoming the first player to lift the prestigious accolade a sixth time.
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However, it is believed that not only will Ronaldo miss out on the top spot, but he will also finish behind Virgil van Dijk, who won the UEFA Player of the Year accolade in August, in third spot.
According to Mundo Deportivo journalist Francesc Aguilar, the Portugal captain is upset about finishing behind Van Dijk in third place, and could snub the ceremony once again.
"Now, the problem that France Football has is to convince Cristiano Ronaldo to attend the Golden Ball gala next Monday," he wrote on Twitter (translated from Spanish).
"The Portuguese already knows that he does not win, but what has most upset him is that he can be third behind Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)."
Ronaldo last won the award in 2017, but missed out to Luka Modric in 2018, when he snubbed the ceremony.
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He also did not appear at FIFA's gala for their The Best Men's Player award, which Messi claimed, despite it being hosted in Milan, just an hour away from Turin, where he currently lives.
Do you think Ronaldo will once again snub the Ballon d'Or gala if he is not certain to win? Have your say in the comments section below.
