The Brazilian shared his opinion after participating in a charity match between Real Madrid legends and Borussia Dortmund legends, which ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw. Notable former stars like Baptista, Kroos, and Raul were on the scoresheet for Madrid’s side.
When asked post-match who he believes deserves the prestigious individual award, the former left-back responded without hesitation:
“Who should win the Ballon d’Or? Cristiano Ronaldo,” Marcelo said, according to Madrid Zone.
Ronaldo had a standout season, finishing as the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League with 25 goals. He also played a crucial role in guiding Portugal to the UEFA Nations League final, where they are set to face Spain.
Despite his impressive performances, Ronaldo is not considered a leading contender for this year’s Ballon d’Or—a fact Marcelo is reportedly aware of.
Current frontrunners include Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal, PSG’s Ousmane Dembele, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
Interestingly, Ronaldo himself recently commented that the Ballon d’Or should be awarded to a player from the team that won the UEFA Champions League.