EXCLUSIVE: Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo placed 20th in Ballon d’Or 2022 rankings
Cristiano Ronaldo has finished 20th in the 2022 Ballon d’Or, his joint-lowest ranking ever in the prestigious awards ceremony.
The five-time winner endured a mixed 2021/22 campaign in his return season at Manchester United, scoring 24 times in all competitions but failing to help the team towards silverware.
Instead, United finished sixth in the Premier League and recorded their lowest points tally in the competition, with Ronaldo’s performances as well as the rest of the squad’s heavily scrutinised at times.
The 37-year-old received 18 nominations to finish 20th, placing ahead of the likes of Harry Kane (21st), Bernardo Silva (22nd) and Joshua Kimmich (25th) and equalling his lowest ranking since 2005, where he finished joint-20th with Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher.
Ronaldo’s struggles have continued into the current season where he has only managed to find the net twice so far in all competitions, the latest of which was his 700th club career goal against Everton.
A 20th-placed finish in the battle for football’s most coveted individual prize is a fine effort on the surface, but doesn’t wear well on Ronaldo, who hasn’t won the Ballon d’Or since lifting his fifth back in 2017.
It follows on from a lowly sixth-place finish last year but ensures he remains in the rankings having been nominated for the award for an 18th time, while rival Lionel Messi missed out on the final shortlist altogether.
Ronaldo last came closest to a sixth Ballon d’Or when he finished second in 2018 and third in 2019, while the last time he wasn’t included on the final shortlist was in 2003.
