Cristiano Ronaldo: Where Al Nassr superstar finished in 2023 Ballon d'Or vote

Lionel Messi secured his record-breaking eighth Ballon d'Or on Monday night, driven by his remarkable victory with Argentina in the Qatar World Cup.

This achievement placed the Inter Miami star ahead of Manchester City's striking sensation, Erling Haaland, in the rankings.

The 36-year-old also clinched the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain before departing in the summer to join David Beckham's MLS club.

Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, boasts an impressive record of 19 consecutive Ballon d'Or nominations, consistently making it to the shortlist every year from the age of 19 to 37.

However, despite this remarkable feat, his total number of wins now falls three short of his long-standing rival, Lionel Messi.

One noteworthy achievement that still sets the Portuguese star apart from Messi is his Puskas Award win.

This accolade is presented to the player, whether male or female, who is deemed to have scored the most aesthetically significant or "most beautiful" goal of the year, per talkSPORT.

For more details on Ronaldo's performance in the 2023 Ballon d'Or vote, Sports Brief provides a comprehensive analysis.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Ballon d'Or rankings

Ronaldo made a move to Al-Nassr to compete in the Saudi Pro League shortly after his Portugal national team exited the Qatar World Cup, per Al Jazeera.

The 38-year-old remained eligible for the 2023 Ballon d'Or despite this change because he had already participated in several matches for Manchester United early in the 2022/23 season.

This ensured that the ex-Manchester United star had been actively involved in club football right from the outset of the assessment period, aligning with the commencement of the European club season.

Consequently, journalists had his performances to evaluate when casting their votes.

Ronaldo showcased his talent by netting 34 goals in 39 appearances for Al-Nassr, and he played a pivotal role in securing the Arabian side's victory in the Arab Club Champions Cup, scoring a crucial brace in the final against their rivals, Al Hilal.

Nonetheless, these accomplishments did not suffice to secure his candidacy for the 2023 Ballon d'Or award.

In fact, for the first time since 2003, Ronaldo was omitted from the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist.

Cristiano Ronaldo's historical Ballon d'Or placements

2004-12th

2005-20th

2006-14th

2007-2nd

2008-1st

2009-2nd

2010-6th

2011-2nd

2012-2nd

2013-1st

2014-1st

2015-2nd

2016-1st

2017-1st

2018-2nd

2019-3rd

2020- *

2021-6th

2022-20th

2023-N/A**