Even scoring more goals than anyone else in a calendar year isn’t enough
Cristiano Ronaldo has been snubbed for the IFFHS Team of the Year despite scoring more goals than anyone else in 2023.
Ronaldo scored 54 goals in 59 games for Al Nassr and Portugal but it wasn’t enough to earn himself a place in the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) Team of the Year.
To add further salt to the wounds Ronaldo’s rival Lionel Messi was named in the XI that also features Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane.
Haaland scored 50 goals as Manchester City secured a historic Treble as well as the Super Cup and Club World Cup in the latter stages of 2023.
Kane and Mbappe meanwhile netted 52 times in all competitions.
It’s a second major snub for Ronaldo, who was overlooked for the Ballon d’Or awards last year.
The 38-year-old commented on the omission at the time, leaving several laughing face emojis.
As for Messi, who won the Ligue 1 title with PSG before moving to MLS side Inter Miami, his position in the side is slightly different to his usual advanced forward role.
He lines up alongside Jude Bellingham and Man City duo Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri in the makeshift midfield four.
The full line up is:
Goalkeeper
Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil)
Defenders
Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal)
Kim Min-Jae (Bayern Munich, South Korea)
Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich, Canada)
Midfielders
Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid, England)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain/Inter Miami, Argentina)
Forwards
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur/Bayern Munich, England)
Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
Related links:
- Argentina to retire number 10 shirt when Lionel Messi quits international football
- Erling Haaland explains main attribute he picked up from watching Cristiano Ronaldo
- Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to speak to one person since Messi’s World Cup win
