(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Cristiano Ronaldo, despite concluding 2023 as the leading goalscorer with an impressive tally of 54 goals in 59 appearances for Portugal and Saudi Pro League's Al-Nassr, has surprisingly not made it into the IFFHS Team of the Year 2023.
Despite his remarkable goal-scoring performance, the 38-year-old Portuguese legend has been snubbed by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) in their prestigious Team of the Year selection.
In their eleven, the organization opted for Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe as forwards, overlooking Cristiano Ronaldo. Haaland notably scored 50 goals, contributing significantly to Manchester City's triumphant Treble in 2023. The remarkable achievement included Manchester City securing the Club World Cup title in December under the management of Pep Guardiola.
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PSG talisman Mbappe and Kane, who excelled for both Tottenham and Bayern Munich in 2023, each registered an impressive tally of 52 goals in all competitions. This marks a second instance of snubbing for Ronaldo, as he was also omitted from the IFFHS's list of the top ten footballers of 2023.
Reacting to his exclusion, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, posted several laughing faces on Instagram. Despite Ronaldo's absence, his longtime rival, Lionel Messi, made it to the team. Messi, who secured the Ligue 1 title with PSG before joining MLS side Inter Miami, has been placed in an unusual role.
The record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is featured in a four-man midfield alongside Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham and Manchester City duo Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri. De Bruyne and Rodri played pivotal roles in the club's successful Treble-winning campaign, contributing significantly to Manchester City's achievements. Bellingham, who made a 113 million pound move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid in the summer, has been a standout performer for the Spanish club.
The IFFHS-selected team boasts a total of five Manchester City players, with Ederson securing the goalkeeper position and Ruben Dias finding a place in the three-man defense. Completing the defensive lineup are Bayern Munich defenders Kim Min-Jae and Alphonso Davies.
Following this announcement, several Ronaldo fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to react to the legendary Portuguese striker's exclusion. Here's a look at how CR7 fans reacted:
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