In a recent statement, former Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos claimed that his former club and international teammate Ronaldo Nazario stole the 2002 Ballon d’Or award from him.
Ronaldo, known for his incredible talent as a striker, was the first Brazilian to win the award in 1997 and repeated the feat in 2002.
Many attribute his 2002 win to his outstanding performance in the FIFA World Cup that year, where he helped Brazil defeat Germany in the final.
Despite his own strong performances in the tournament, Carlos finished second in the Ballon d’Or rankings behind Ronaldo, with German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn coming in third.
Carlos spoke about the award in a recent interview with French publication L’Equipe, “I always tell Ronaldo that that Ballon d’Or was mine, and he stole it from me.
“I heard that I was the favorite before the World Cup final. So, I lost the award in 90 minutes.
“But when you think about it, for a defender to finish second in the Ballon d’Or voting is something incredible. Only Beckenbauer, Sammer, and Cannavaro have won it as defenders. So, second place is a great source of pride.”
