TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand has expressed his belief that his former Manchester United teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, was unfairly denied a Ballon d’Or win in 2018.

For a decade, the Ballon d’Or was predominantly dominated by Ronaldo and Lionel Messi until Real Madrid’s Luka Modric secured the prestigious award in 2018. Modric’s remarkable performances for Croatia during the 2018 World Cup in Russia and his contributions to Real Madrid’s third consecutive Champions League victory helped him amass 753 points, surpassing Ronaldo’s 478-point total.

Ronaldo, who had joined Juventus in the summer of 2018 for a £99.2 million transfer, played a significant role in Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph during the 2017-18 season.

Speaking on his VIBE with FIVE podcast during a conversation with Ronaldo enthusiast IShowSpeed, Ferdinand expressed his opinion on the Ballon d’Or outcome. He mentioned that Ronaldo was “robbed” of the Ballon d’Or, particularly in the year when Modric won it.

Ronaldo’s absence from the 30-player shortlist for the 2023 Ballon d’Or marked the first time in two decades that he failed to make the list. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who initially won the award during his time at Manchester United, had been nominated for the prestigious honor every year since 2004, totaling 19 consecutive nominations until 2023.

Ronaldo’s previous season was marked by challenges at Manchester United and his subsequent departure, as well as Portugal’s early exit from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Ronaldo’s on-field rival, Lionel Messi, is the front-runner for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, with many considering him the favorite to secure his record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or trophy after leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup the previous year.