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Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has reacted sarcastically on Instagram after he was excluded from the IFFHS' list of the top 10 players of 2023.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been in exceptional form for both Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team, cementing himself as the leading goal scorer in 2023 with 53 goals.
He has also provided 15 assists in 58 appearances across all competitions and was instrumental in Portugal's flawless qualification for the 2024 UEFA Euros.
Despite Ronaldo's impressive feats this calendar year, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) opted to exclude him from their top 10 rankings yesterday (December 28).
Portuguese news outlet A Bola posted the list on their Instagram page, which Cristiano Ronaldo reacted to with four sarcastic emojis. They captioned the post:
"Cristiano Ronaldo reacted to our post about the IFFHS rankings of the best players of 2023. The captain of the national team felt like laughing when he saw the elected ones. Do you think the Portuguese deserved to be on the list?"
The IFFHS' Top 10 is as follows:
10. Lautaro Martinez
9. Vinicius Junior
8. Bernardo Silva
7. Harry Kane
6. Kevin De Bruyne
5. Jude Bellingham
4. Rodri
3. Lionel Messi
2. Kylian Mbappe
"I'm in a dream" - Al-Nassr star expresses his delight at getting the chance to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo
Al-Nassr midfielder Otavio has admitted he's living his dream by playing alongside his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr.
The Knights of Najd bolstered their squad, recruiting the likes of Seko Fofana, Marcelo Brozovic, Aymeric Laporte, Sadio Mane, and Otavio. They signed the latter from Porto for a reported transfer fee of €60 million, making him the most expensive signing in Al-Nassr's history.
The Portugal international said (via Essentially Sports):
"It’s really unbelievable. I still imagine if I’m there or not. It’s like I’m in a dream.”
Otavio has flourished for Al-Nassr alongside Ronaldo, scoring four goals and providing four assists in 24 appearances across all competitions this season. He is expected to start in their next fixture in the Saudi Pro League against Al-Taawoun on Saturday, December 29.
