Main Reason Cristiano Ronaldo Sold One of His Five Ballon d'Or Awards
- Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo has amassed a collection of accolades throughout his remarkable career
- Among these, his five Ballon d'Or awards stand out as a testament to his dominance in the beautiful game
- However, in a surprising move, the legendary forward decided to part with one of these prestigious trophies
Cristiano Ronaldo can boast of five Ballon d'Or's to his name but he made the rare decision to auction one of his replica awards in 2017.
Ballon d'Or winners present a replica of the trophy to their club, while others choose to keep it in their personal collection or donate it to a museum.
Source: Getty Images
However, in a unique move, Ronaldo chose to auction his 2013 Ballon d'Or for charity in 2017, according to Marca.
It's worth noting that the Al-Nassr captain's 2013 Ballon d'Or was just his second, breaking Lionel Messi's four-year winning streak for the prestigious award.
Ronaldo 'sells' Ballon d'Or
The Portugal maestro secured 27.99% of the vote to claim the award, with Messi finishing second at 24.72%, per ESPN.
The trophy was later auctioned, with all proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish, a charity supporting children with serious illnesses.
Held in London, the auction saw Israel's wealthiest individual, Idan Ofer, win the bid with an impressive €600,000.
Alfredo di Stefano's Ballon d'Or trophy sold
Ballon d'Or auctions are rare, though Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano's silverware and memorabilia fetched significant sums in 2021.
His 1957 Ballon d'Or sold for £60,800, while his 1959 trophy went for £54,400.
The exclusive 'Super Ballon d'Or,' held only by Di Stefano, drew a remarkable £187,500.
Ronaldo's last Ballon d'Or win came in 2017, allowing Lionel Messi to pull ahead in their rivalry with eight to his name.
Ronaldo and Messi snubbed from Ballon d'Or nominees
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Ronaldo and Messi have yet to weigh in on their absence from the 2024 Ballon d'Or nominations, marking a year in which the award will be claimed by a first-time winner.
Despite his Copa America victory this summer, Messi, now with Inter Miami, didn’t make the cut for the 2024 award.
His long-time rival Ronaldo was also omitted, despite netting 44 goals in all competitions for Al-Nassr last season.
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Source: AFP
