Why Cristiano Ronaldo was snubbed for 2023 Ballon d'Or: France Football finally explain

Cristiano Ronaldo missed out on the 2023 Ballon d'Or nomination entirely, raising eyebrows. 

Lionel Messi, his great rival, won the award for a record-extending 8th time on Monday, October 30 in Paris.

Messi finished ahead of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in the eventual top three, but a major talking point was Ronaldo missing completely from the list of 30 nominees.

According to Vincent Garcia, the Chief Editor of France Football, Ronaldo's performances during the period in review failed to meet the standards required for a nomination.

"Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence was not a topic of discussion within the committee,” Garcia said (via The Nassr Zone.).

 “He did not shine in the World Cup and played in a tournament with less visibility, yet he is still a great player.”