"Pascal Ferre lied, used my name to promote himself" - Cristiano Ronaldo lashes out at France Football editor for Lionel Messi Ballon d'Or claim

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed the truth behind a controversial claim regarding his rivalry with Lionel Messi put forward by Pascal Ferre.

The editor-in-chief of France Football, the magazine which hands out the honor, had stated Cristiano Ronaldo's only ambition in life was to win more Ballon d'Or awards than Lionel Messi.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was absent from the 2021 Ballon d'Or ceremony, has now broken his silence on social media, clearing the air surrounding the claim.

The Portuguese accused Ferre of spreading lies about him and the rivalry with Lionel Messi. Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his disappointment by terming Ferre's actions as "unacceptable."

In a lengthy Instagram post, Cristiano Ronaldo opened up:

"Today's outcome explains why Pascal Ferré's statements last week, when he stated that I confided in him that my only ambition was to finish my career with more Ballon d'Ors than Lionel Messi."

"Pascal Ferré lied, he used my name to promote himself and to promote the publication he works for. It is unacceptable that the person responsible for awarding such a prestigious prize could lie in this way, in absolute disrespect for someone who has always respected France Football and the Ballon d'Or."

Cristiano Ronaldo also pointed out how Ferre lied again by explaining his absence from the award in the name of a quarantine that never existed.

"And he lied again today, justifying my absence from the Gala with an alleged quarantine that has no reason to exist."

"I always want to congratulate those who win, within the sportsmanship and fair-play that have guided my career since the beginning, and I do it because I'm never against anyone."

The Manchester United marksman went on to claim that he isn't competing with Lionel Messi or anyone else for that matter. Cristiano Ronaldo insists his focus always remains on doing well for the teams he represents on the pitch.

"I always win for myself and for the clubs I represent, I win for myself and for those who love me. I don't win against anyone.

"The biggest ambition of my career is to win national and international titles for the clubs I represent and for the national team in my country. The biggest ambition of my career is to be a good example for all those who are or want to be professional footballers. The biggest ambition of my career is to leave my name written in golden letters in the history of world football."

"I will end by saying that my focus is already on Manchester United's next game and on everything that, together with my team-mates and our fans, we can still achieve this season. The rest? The rest is just the rest."

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo set to finish in the top 10 for 2021 Ballon d'Or

France Football have started revealing the rankings for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. As things stand, only the top 10 footballers are yet to be revealed, with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo set to be among them.

Despite close competition between the two over the years, Cristiano Ronaldo is not expected to challenge front-runner Lionel Messi for the 2021 Ballon d'Or.