Ronaldo scores incredible goal for Juventus during SPAL clash
The Portuguese isn’t expected to secure the prestigious honour this year.
His arch-rival, Lionel Messi, won’t be a frontrunner either.
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric is the bookies’ hot favourite to secure glory.
The veteran ace helped guide Croatia to the World Cup final in Russia.
Luka Modric is expected to win the Ballon d’Or
Kylian Mbappe and Raphael Varane will provide stiff competition to Modric as they were part of the France side who beat them in the final.
“Varane may well be there, Griezmann, Mbappe. I think a Frenchman should win,” PSG striker Edinson Cavani said.
“There are other players who could win it, but it should be a Frenchman, they have won the World Cup.
“Modric has had a great season, but his team-mate Varane won the Champions League and the World Cup.
“Modric was a finalist and had a great campaign, but Varane deserves it more.”
According to Sky Italy, Ronaldo now might not bother turning up.
It’s suggested Atletico Madrid ace Antoine Griezmann could also be conspicuous in his absence on Monday.
Ronaldo has even more reason to be disgruntled.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted last month that he prefers Messi to Ronaldo.
“That’s unfair again – just like [whether I want to win] the Champions League or Premier League,” Klopp told Sky Germany.
“But I would go with Lionel. Although I adore both!
“Where Messi is the light brush, Ronaldo is all about brute force and that goal against Manchester United will have had every former goalscorer, who saw it, salivating.”
Former Reds striker Stan Collymore doesn’t agree with Klopp though.
He says Ronaldo is the more rounded player.
Collymore told The People: “Lionel Messi is an all-time great, but Cristiano Ronaldo still gets me way more excited.
“He’s a striker’s striker without being a conventional striker – he heads the ball like Bob Latchford and Joe Jordan, he strikes it like an Alan Shearer or a Thierry Henry, yet he doesn’t have a striker’s build.
“Where Messi is the light brush, Ronaldo is all about brute force and that goal against Manchester United will have had every former goalscorer, who saw it, salivating.”
Full list of Ballon d’Or 2018 nominees
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Alisson (Liverpool)
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Edinson Cavani (PSG)
Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Isco (Real Madrid)
Harry Kane (Tottenham)
N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
Hugo Lloris (Tottenham)
Mario Mandzukic (Juventus)
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Marcelo (Real Madrid)
Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
Neymar (PSG)
Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Luis Suárez (Barcelona)
Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)