IN SPORT.ES
Cristiano Ronaldo did not go The Best gala in Milan on Monday night, citing muscle problems. A classic excuse, given the Juventus forward knew he wouldn't win. He finished third behind Virgil van Dijk and Lionel Messi, the big winner on the evening.
It's not new that Ronaldo's never found it easy to manage the Argentine star's success. He's not been able to agree with the consensus that Messi is and has been the better player throughout his career.
To exemplify that fact, you just have to look at his votes for past Ballon d'Or and The Best awards. The Portuguese international has voted in eight separate seasons and has never chosen Messi in his top three players for the year.
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In contrast, Messi, who's voted nine times, has chosen his nemesis on two occasions, curiously in each of the last two seasons -- once he'd left Real Madrid for Italy.