Cristiano Ronaldo has unmistakably conveyed his discontent after finding himself excluded from the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) ranking of the top 10 footballers globally. Responding to the announcement, the Al-Nassr striker posted sarcastic laughing emojis, a silent expression of his dissatisfaction without explicitly stating it.
The IFFHS, in its annual ranking, placed Erling Haaland at the pinnacle, followed by Kylian Mbappe in the second position, and Lionel Messi securing the third spot. Bernardo Silva was the lone Portuguese player to make the cut, landing at the eighth position.
Despite culminating 2023 as the leading scorer with an impressive tally of 53 goals and 15 assists for Al-Nassr and the Portuguese national team, Ronaldo’s conspicuous absence from the ranking has triggered speculations. Some speculate that the omission might be attributed to his current stint in the Saudi Pro League, deemed by some as not being one of the premier football leagues.
This rationale is perplexing, especially considering Messi’s inclusion, who competes in Major League Soccer (MLS). Interestingly, the MLS is ranked three positions higher than the Saudi Pro League as of the latest evaluations.
While Messi spent a substantial portion of 2023 with Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1, a league that was ranked fifth as of December 31, 2022,
